Auger Electron Emission During Atomic Relaxation

Why an atom left with a core-level vacancy can eject a third electron entirely, rather than emitting a photon, as it relaxes back to a lower-energy state.

References

• Lander, J.J., Kern, H.E. "Auger Electron Spectroscopy." Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology 14 (1977): 220–223.