Soft X-Ray Absorption Spectra of Metals and Alloys. I. Be, Al, Sb, Bi and Al–Mg Alloys

Abstract

Soft X-ray absorption spectra of Be, Al, Sb and Bi, and Al–Mg alloys have been obtained by the use of synchrotron radiation emitted from the 750 MeV electron synchrotron at the Institute for Nuclear Study, Tokyo, as a continuous light source. The K-absorption structure of beryllium was found to agree with the density of states calculated by Loucks and Cutler. Some correspondence was found between the maxima in the L_2,3-absorption spectrum and the K-absorption spectrum of aluminum. A remarkable band was observed in the L_2,3-absorption spectrum of aluminum at 23 eV above the edge. This band is not attributable to the singularity in the state density of the conduction band. A tentative interpretation based on the delayed onset of transitions 2p-∞d is proposed. The L_2,3-absorption spectrum of aluminum in Al–Mg alloy shows a remarkable degeneration of the edge, while the L_2,3-absorption edge of magnesium in the same alloy seems relatively unaffected. This behavior is similar to the effect reported by Appleton and Curry on the L_2,3-emission edge of both elements in Al–Mg alloy.