K-shell binding energies in free atoms for Be, B, and C have been obtained to within a few tenths of an eV by applying Auger spectroscopy to fast Be, B, and C ion beams being core-excited in single collisions with CH4 and He. The present values, which correspond to the lowest possible ionization energy, i.e., for B, BE
1 S = E(1s2s
22p)3
P
0 - E(1s
22s
22p)2
P
0, are considerably higher than previous values derived from measurements where solid or molecular samples have been used, while good agreement is found with recent free-atom theoretical data.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.