Au L α and L β and Ag L-shell x-ray production cross-sections by electron impact have been measured in the incident energy region from near threshold to about 25 keV. Thin films with thick aluminium substrates were used as targets in the experiments. The effect of directional and energy spreading of the electron beam within the active films and x-ray enhancement due to backscattering electrons and bremsstrahlung photons from the substrates are corrected by means of Monte Carlo simulations. The corrected experimental data provided by this method are compared with calculated cross-sections from a PWBA theory with Coulomb, relativistic and exchange corrections and with other experimental data available in the literature.

Results from the measurements of absolute L-shell x-ray production cross sections of In (Z = 49) and Sn (Z = 50) by the impact of electrons with energies in the range of 6–28 keV are presented. The experimental setup has been improved and thin films with thick aluminum substrates were used as targets in the experiments. The effect of directional and energy spreads of the incident electron beam within the films and the characteristic x-ray enhancement due to backscattered electrons and bremsstrahlung photons generated from the substrates were corrected by means of Monte Carlo simulations. The experimental results of In and Sn elements by electron and positron impacts were compared with the DWBA and PWBA-C-Ex theories. It was shown that the L-shell x-ray production cross sections of In and Sn elements by electron impact measured in this paper were in good agreement with the theoretical predictions within the uncertainties and that the discrepancies existed between the experimental results by positron impact, available in the literature, and the theoretical values. The influence of the atomic relaxation parameters (fluorescence yields and Coster–Kronig coefficients) has also been discussed.