Single and multiple Auger decay processes from the N e+1s-12p-1np shake-up states studied with a multielectron coincidence method

The single, double, and triple Auger decay processes from the 1s-12p-1np shake-up states of Ne have been studied with a multielectron coincidence method. It is revealed that the Rydberg electron promoted in the initial photoionization step generally acts as a spectator both in the single and double Auger decays. The single Auger decay predominantly produces three-hole one-particle final states while leaving the Rydberg electron virtually unchanged. In the cascade double Auger paths, the Rydberg electron is a spectator in the first step of the cascade process but is subsequently released in the second step, leading to the formation of three-hole final states. The direct paths of double Auger decays, which are much weaker than the cascade paths, produce preferably four-hole one-particle states due to the spectator behavior of the Rydberg electron. The distributions of the Ne4+ states populated by the triple Auger decays are also presented.