The M_4,5N_4,5N_4,5Auger spectra of Ag, Cd, In and Sn

High-resolution M 4,5 N 4,5 N 4,5 Auger and M 5 and valence-band photoelectron spectra of Ag, Cd, In and Sn, measured using X-ray excitation, are combined to yield the magnitude of U eff , the Coulomb repulsion between two holes on the same atomic site. The extra-atomic relaxation contributions to Auger and photoelectron processes in these elements are determined by comparing the experimental results with atomic structure calculations. The relationship U eff >>2W, where W is the width of the 4d band, holds for Cd, In and Sn and the M 4,5 N 4,5 N 4,5 Auger spectra of these elements are in good agreement with multiplet structure calculations. Discrepancies between the observed and the calculated M 4,5 N 4,5 N 4,5 spectra of Ag are interpreted in terms of its failure to satisfy the U eff >>2W condition and the variation of U eff with the final-state component of the Auger spectrum. It is suggested that the 3 F 4 component is able to decay into the Ag 4d band and is thus substantially broader than the other components of the Auger spectrum.