Observation of an anomalous decay ratio between the molecular field split levels in the S 2p core photoelectron and LVV Auger spectrum of H2S

The S 2p3/22p1/2 spin-orbit splitting of H2S has earlier been assigned different values by Auger and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. We resolve this apparent ambiguity by presenting very high resolution synchrotron radiation excited Auger and photoelectron spectra, where the molecular field splitting in the ''S 2p3/2'' photoelectron line is observed to be 110(5) meV. The difference in spin-orbit splitting is explained in terms of a new strong propensity rule for Auger decay from molecular field split levels. A value of 70(10) meV for the S 2p lifetime width in H2S is also obtained.