CORE REARRANGEMENT OF EXCITED ATOMIC STATES NEAR A METAL-SURFACE AND ADSORBATE EFFECTS

A mechanism of the core rearrangement of excited atomic states near a metal surface is presented. A numerical model is developed and applied to the description of the rearrangement of 1D core states of Ne** and Ne+* to 3P core states. This is ascribed to resonant ionization of 1Dnl states into the continuum: Ne++(3P)+metal, followed by resonant electron capture. This ionization is rendered possible by level shifts near a metal surface. Effects of adsorbates are investigated and it is shown that a lowering of the workfunction induces a strong decrease of the rearrangement.