Kα satellite and hypersatellite distributions of Ar excited in heavy-ion collisions

Spectra of Kα x rays emitted from Ar gas at atmospheric pressure under bombardment by 10 MeV∕amu heavy ions (atomic number 6–79) were measured in high resolution using a curved crystal spectrometer. Values of the apparent average fraction of L vacancies at the time of Kα x-ray emission (p_L^x) were determined from the observed Kα satellite and hypersatellite intensity distributions. A systematic comparison of the p_L^x values for the monatomic gas Ar with those obtained previously for a variety of solid targets provided a quantitative assessment of the role interatomic transitions play in the L-vacancy transfer process that occurs prior to K x-ray decay.