L2L3V Coster-Kronig decay in Fe: the near-edge region

We have investigated the Auger emission in Fe for photon energies varying across the 2p edges. The probability of the L2L3V Coster-Kronig (CK) decay process has been measured by photoemission spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation. The branching ratio between the process L-2 --> L-3'VV (CK preceded) and the direct Auger decay of the L-2 hole has been determined as a function of the photon energy near the 2p(1/2)-edge (717-735 eV): this branching ratio is found to rapidly converge to an asymptotic value of about 0.83, which favorably compares with the Auger-photoemission coincidence spectroscopy results. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.