Theory of X-ray absorption and emission spectra

Theoretical studies on X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy are discussed. Simple expressions for X-ray emission rate and X-ray absorption cross section are presented in the dipole approximation. Various atomic models to obtain realistic wave functions and theoretical calculations for X-ray absorption cross sections and X-ray emission rates are described. In the case of molecules and solids, molecular orbital methods for electronic structures and molecular wave functions are discussed. The emphasis is on the procedures to obtain the excited-state and continuum wave functions for molecules and to calculate the multi-center dipole matrix elements. The examples of the calculated X-ray absorption and emission spectra are shown and compared with the experimental results. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.