Communication: Formation of slow electrons in the Auger decay of core-ionized water molecules

Abstract

Double Auger decay of O1s-1 and its satellite states in H 2O has been studied with a multi-electron coincidence method, and a process leading to autoionizing O* fragments has been revealed. The breaking of the two O-H bonds producing the autoionizing O * fragments occurs for highly excited H2O 2+ populated by the initial Auger decay. The O* fragments are more favorably produced in the decay from the satellite states, resulting from the larger population of highly excited H2O 2+ states inheriting the valence excitation in the initial state. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.