Molecular structure effects of aluminum Kβ x-ray spectra produced in proton and alpha particle excitation

Targets of Al and Al2O3 were bombarded by 0.8 MeV protons and 3.2 MeV alpha particles and the subsequent X-ray yield measured. The Kα X-ray spectra of Al and Al2O3 show fairly good agreement in both the proton and alpha-induced spectra; however, the structure in the Kβ X-ray spectra deviate from one another in both cases. These results are interpreted as effects due to the chemical bonding of the oxygen atoms to aluminum.