The $K\alpha$ satellite spectra of Si in the gases Si${\mathrm{H}}_4$ and Si${\mathrm{F}}_4$, of S in the gases ${\mathrm{H}}_2$S, S${\mathrm{O}}_2$, and S${\mathrm{F}}_6$, of Cl in the gases HCl and ${\mathrm{Cl}}_2$ and in the liquid C${\mathrm{Cl}}_4$, and of gaseous Ar produced by bombardment with oxygen ions were examined in detail and compared with the spectra of solid compounds obtained in a previous study. It was found that the apparent average state of $L$-shell ionization at the time of $K\alpha$ x-ray emission does not depend upon the physical state, but upon the availability of electrons from nearest-neighbor atoms. The $K\alpha$ satellite energies in conjunction with Hartree-Fock calculations provide a measure of the average numbers of missing $M$-shell electrons, and this information further supports the conclusion that interatomic electron transfer dominates the fast rearrangement occurring prior to $K\alpha$ x-ray emission in atoms having highly depleted $M$ shells. Various $K\alpha$ satellite peak-broadening mechanisms were considered and it was found that broadening due to the distribution of $M$-shell vacancies accounts for a significant portion of the total peak width.

• Received 17 October 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.17.1302