The Auger effect is a phenomenon that occurs in atoms when an electron transitions from a higher energy level to a lower energy level, releasing energy in the form of an Auger electron. This effect is named after French physicist Pierre Auger, who first described it in 1925.
Definitions
The Auger effect is a process in which the energy released by an electron transition is transferred to another electron, which is then ejected from the atom. This effect is important in X-ray spectroscopy and is used to determine the chemical composition of materials.
Origin
The Auger effect was first observed by Pierre Auger in 1925 while studying the emission of electrons from a copper target bombarded with alpha particles. Auger discovered that when an inner-shell electron was ejected from a copper atom, the energy released was transferred to another electron, which was then ejected from the atom. This effect was later named after Auger in recognition of his discovery.
Meaning in different dictionaries
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the Auger effect is “a process in which an atom or molecule is excited by the absorption of a photon and then emits an electron that is not the same as the one that was excited.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines the Auger effect as “the emission of an electron from an atom in which a vacancy has been created by the loss of an electron from an inner shell.”
Associations
The Auger effect is closely associated with X-ray spectroscopy, which is a technique used to determine the chemical composition of materials. The Auger electron emitted during the Auger effect is detected by an X-ray detector, which can then be used to identify the elements present in a sample.
Synonyms
Some synonyms for the Auger effect include Auger emission, Auger transition, and Auger decay.
Antonyms
There are no antonyms for the Auger effect as it is a specific phenomenon that has no opposite or reverse effect.
The same root words
The word “Auger” in the Auger effect is derived from the name of French physicist Pierre Auger, who first described the effect in 1925.
Example Sentences
- The Auger effect is an important phenomenon in X-ray spectroscopy.
- The Auger electron emitted during the Auger effect can be used to determine the chemical composition of materials.
- Pierre Auger discovered the Auger effect while studying the emission of electrons from a copper target.
- The Auger effect is closely associated with X-ray spectroscopy and is used to identify the elements present in a sample.