Interatomic Auger processes in NaCl

The decay rate of a Na $2s$ hole in NaCl by interatomic Auger transitions associated with a valence electron located on the nearest-neighbor chlorines is calculated. The Cl orbitals of the octahedral cluster surrounding the Na $2s$ vacancy are combined into molecular orbitals and the Auger transitions to spherical waves having l≤4 are determined. The total calculated rate is nearly twice that calculated for the $2s$ vacancy in a free Na atom and supports the earlier suggestion by Citrin that the effective valence charge on the Na⁺ ion due to the ligand orbitals is even larger in NaCl than it is in the free atom.