Photoabsorption of Atomic Sodium in the VUV

The absorption spectrum of atomic sodium in the photon energy region from 30 to 150 eV has been investigated. A great number of sharp absorption lines which can be attributed to the excitation of a 2p- or a 2s-electron has been detected. Simultaneous excitation of one 2p- and one 3s-electron gives rise to considerably strong broad and asymmetric absorption structures above the highest series limit (¹ P ₁) for the excitations of a single 2p-electron. Some of the assignments have been confirmed by Hartree-Fock calculations. The relative spectral dependence of the absorption cross-section in this energy range has been determined for the first time. The spectrum of free Na atoms has been compared with theL _{II, III} spectrum of solid sodium.