Observation of plasmon excitations in X-ray production following heavy ion bombardment

Four equidistant peaks are observed below the Kα_1,2 line in the X-ray spectra of Na, Al, Si, SiO₂, Ca, Sc and Ti, produced by oxygen bombardment. With much weaker intensity, these lines are also seen in proton excitation. The lines are interpreted to be due to the excitation of one or more volume plasmons in the target material by the Kα_1,2 X-ray decay.