Transition rates for interatomic Auger processes

Theoretical estimates in the LCAO approximation reveal that matrix elements for interatomic Auger processes are very strongly energy dependent, but that for very low energy Auger transitions they may be comparable with the competing intra-atomic Auger processes. Though inter-atomic Auger mechanisms will not produce appreciable lifetime broadening, they may radically change the low energy Auger spectrum, for example, of metallic elements in the early stages of oxidation, and may mainly control the transition rates of low energy Auger processes in ionic crystals.