Measurement of the relative proton-induced L-subshell ionization cross sections of Ag, Sb and Au

L x-rays were produced by the impact of protons between 200 and 900 keV energy on thin Ag, Sb and Au foils. The spectra were measured by a Si(Li) detector and analysed by least-squares techniques to yield x-ray intensity ratios as a function of energy. From these, ionization cross section ratios for the subshells Lsub(I), Lsub(II) and Lsub(III) were calculated. For Ag and Sb, x-ray emission rate ratios were also determined which agree with Scofield's values (Atom. Data Nucl. Data Tables; 14:121 (1974)) in many cases, but not in all. For Au, x-ray intensity ratios are generally in agreement with published results; for Ag and Sb, the ratio Lα/Ll is smaller than Scofield's value. The ratio sigma2/sigma1 is generally well described by the plane-wave Born approximation theory; for the ratio sigma3/sigma2, a decision between different theories is difficult. (author)