Measurement and ab initio calculation of the Ne photoabsorption spectrum in the region of the K edge

The Ne photoabsorption spectrum in the region of the K edge has been measured with unprecedented energy resolution. The results have been interpreted by using an ab initio method that predicts natural linewidths, as well as relative intensities and positions of the different 1s!np (3<n<6) transitions. The remarkable agreement between theory and experiment improves the spectroscopic characterization of these inner-shell excited states in an energy region where only electron-energy-loss spectroscopies were considered to provide accurate and high-resolution data.