Final ion formation and energy reemission upon a cascade decay of single vacancies in the K and L electron shells of atomic platinum

Abstract

Cascade decay of single vacancies in 1s, 2s, 2p_1/2, and 2p_3/2 subshells of an isolated platinum atom are simu- lated by the method of construction and analysis of the cascade decay trees. The yields of final ions and the spectra of cascade electrons and photons are calculated. Mean charges of the final ions formed as a result of the cascade decays of 1s, 2s, 2p_1/2, and 2p_3/2 vacancies in the platinum atom are 7.75, 9.82, 7.80, and 7.95, re- spectively. The energies stored in final cascade ions, and the energies reemitted with cascade electrons and photons are calculated for the decays of each initial inner-shell vacancy. In the case of decay of vacancies in the 2s, 2p_1/2, and 2p_3/2 subshells, most of the energy initially acquired by the atom during the creation of an initial inner-shell vacancy is re-emitted by Auger and Coster–Kronig cascade electrons. In the case of 1s va- cancy decay, most of the energy is carried away by cascade photons, predominantly KL. The prospects of us- ing platinum-based agents as radiosensitizers in photon activation therapy of cancer are discussed.