Two-Crystal Analysis ofL-Absorption Limits of Mercury

An investigation of the shape and width of the $L$ II and $L$ III absorption limits of mercury has been made with the two-crystal x-ray spectrometer. Mercury was used in the liquid and vapor states and in chemical combination. The absorption limits are found to be asymmetrical. Approaching the limit from the long wave-length side, the intensity of the transmitted beam falls off rather sharply at first. This is followed by a more gradual decrease to the minimum value. The observed curves appear to bear out the suggestion by Kossel that the ejected electron may sometimes not be removed completely from theatom by the absorbed quantum, but only to an unoccupied upper level. The curves for the vapor have an over-all width of 45-50 volts. The curves for the liquid state are practically identical with the vapor curves at the long wave-length side, but fall off in intensity more slowly as the wave-length is decreased. The curves for the compounds are wider than those for the liquid and vapor and some exhibit fine structure.