X-ray spectrometry of copper: New results on an old subject

We review recent, and some less recent, measurements of several emission spectra of copper. The results are discussed with special emphasis on elucidating the structure of the Kα_1,2 and Kβ _1,3 diagram lines and their underlying transitions. These lines are found to contain ≈30% contribution from 3d spectator hole transitions. Other multielectronic transitions, the 2p spectator hole (satellites) and 1s spectator hole (hypersatellites) transitions were also measured. They are discussed paying special attention to the evolution of the lineshapes and intensities from the excitation threshold to saturation. Trends in the measured quantities depending on the spectator hole's shell and subshell are also discussed.