Fine Structure Absorption Edges in Metals

Abstract

IT is well known from the experiments of Lindh and others that when pure metals are examined, in general no fine structure edges (as distinguished from the secondary absorption edges) are observed. If, as is generally believed after Kossel, the fine structure edges originate in the removal of the electron from the K shell to the various optical levels in the atom in question, it is difficult to understand why these edges should be absent in them. The non-appearance of the fine structure edges when metallic plates or metallic crystals (in the form of powders) are used as absorption screens can be explained on the hypothesis of the existence of free electrons in metals. The primary absorption edge originates from the removal of an electron from one stationary orbit inside the atom to another optical orbit, both these orbits possessing definite energy value.