The Structure of Soft X-ray Lines

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Abstract
The experimental work on soft x-rays has shown that the lines produced by the bombardment of a solid target are much broader than those emitted by a vapor. This is due to the fact that the upper level is not sharp. The breadth and the shape can be calculated from the various models which have been used for describing the behavior of electrons in metals. The free electron model gives a line which has a sharp edge on the short wave-length side. This is not observed in Be. The calculated width, however, agrees well with the observed. The bound electron model gives a more satisfactory shape for Be, but the width cannot be exactly determined. The comparison of the line shapes calculated on the basis of these two models with that observed in Be shows that, although the free electron model gives a good approximation to the zero point energy, the distribution of energy levels is strongly affected by the periodic potential in the crystal.

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