Charge transfer and core-hole screening in PbTe

An analysis of the Auger-parameter shifts between PbTe and the pure elements is shown to yield insight into mechanisms of core-hole screening and charge transfer in the ground state. A parametrized treatment of the Auger-parameter shifts in which the screening terms are treated in terms of a Jost-cavity model shows that the ground-state charge transfer in PbTe is less than 0.30e±{}0.06e. It is shown that core holes are screened more efficiently on Pb sites than on Te sites in PbTe, and that Te core holes are screened more efficiently in pure Te than in PbTe.