Non-monotonic behaviour of the Kβ′2/Kβ′1 x-ray intensity ratio in the atomic number region 40 ≤ Z ≤ 50

The K beta (1)' /K alpha (1), K beta (2)' /K alpha (1) and K beta (2)' /K beta (1)', intensity ratios were determined for the elements zirconium through tin using proton-induced x-ray spectra recorded with a Si(Li) detector. Careful attention was paid to Compton-scattering artefacts and to radiative Auger features in the nonlinear least-squares fitting of the spectra. The K beta (1)' /K alpha (1) ratio agrees with Dirac-Fock theory. The K beta (2)' /K beta (1)' results support a recent observation of solid-state enhancement of the KN4,5 line in Mo and are suggestive of somewhat lesser enhancement for other elements where the 4d shell is about half full. The ratios for Ag and Cd are significantly larger than the theoretical predictions although the 4d shell is full in these cases.