Intra-atomic versus interatomic processes in resonant Auger spectra at the Ti L-23 edges in rutile

The two components of the Ti L23M23V Auger transition recorded on a stoichiometric rutile crystal are identified as L2M23V and L3M23V contributions. This assignment is evidenced by concordant data relative to resonances of the LMV decay at the Ti L-23 thresholds and to Auger emission recorded in coincidence with the 2(1/2) and 2(3/2) photoemission at a photon energy far above the Ti L-23 edges. The L3M23V transition is shown to follow either the direct photoexcitation of a 2(3/2) electron or the fast Coster-Kronig decay of a 2(1/2) photohole. Although specific LMV contributions related to valence orbitals are identified, the long-suggested dual description of the L23M23V Auger line as intra-atomic and interatomic transitions are discarded.