Dissociation dynamics of anionic and excited neutral fragments of gaseous SiCl4 following Cl 2p and Si 2p core-level excitations

Abstract

The state-selective dissociation dynamics for anionic and excited neutral fragments of gaseous SiCl4 following Cl 2p and Si 2p core-level excitations were characterized by combining measurements of the photon-induced anionic dissociation, x-ray absorption and UV/visible dispersed fluorescence. The transitions of core electrons to high Rydberg states) doubly excited states in the vicinity of both Si 2p and Cl 2p ionization thresholds of gaseous SiCl4 lead to a remarkably enhanced production of anionic, Si-and Cl-, fragments and excited neutral atomic, Si*, fragments. This enhancement via core-level excitation near the ionization threshold of gaseous SiCl4 is explained in terms of the contributions from the Auger decay of doubly excited states, shake-modified resonant Auger decay, or/and post-collision interaction. These complementary results provide insight into the state-selective anionic and excited neutral fragmentation of gaseous molecules via core-level excitation.