Gold L X-Ray Production by 0.5-30-MeV Protons

The characteristic L x-rays of Au, produced by 0.5-30-MeV proton beams on a thin Au target have been observed with a Si(Li) detector. Total L x-ray production cross sections derived from these measurements are in good agreement with presently available theoretical calculations. However, theoretical predictions of LαLβ and LαLγ ratios and centroid energies of the Lβ and Lγ lines as functions of proton energy show that a consistent quantum-mechanical treatment of L-shell ionization gives considerably better agreement with experimental results than the semiclassical or classical theories of inner-shell ionization.