Effects of initial-state laser excitation on inner-shell photoionization and Auger decay of Rb

The 3d^-1 photoionization and subsequent M4,5N2,3N2,3 Auger electron spectra of free initially laser-excited rubidium atoms have been investigated. The rubidium atoms were excited from the ground state [Kr]5s1∕2 to the [Kr]5p1∕2 and [Kr]5p3∕2 states. Emphasis was put on the changes in coupling and electron correlation between the three different initial states. The ground state $3d$ photoelecton spectrum of free Rb atoms was interpreted in detail. The binding energies for 3d3∕2,5∕2 orbitals of initially ground-state and laser-excited Rb atoms were obtained. Extensive multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock calculations performed in the relativistic $jj$ coupled basis were compared to the experimental photoelectron and Auger electron spectra.