Interatomic Auger Processes: Effects on Lifetimes of Core Hole States

The lifetimes of core hole states, as determined from x-ray photoemission measurements in a variety of materials, is shown to depend on, and in many cases be primarily determined by, an interatomic Auger mechanism involving transitions from ligand valence electrons. Interpretations of linewidths and other spectral features observed from those spectroscopies involving core holes must be re-evaluated in light of these processes.