Miniature electron bombardment evaporation source: evaporation rate measurement

Miniature electron beam evaporation sources which operate on the principle of vaporization of source material, in the form of a tip, by electron bombardment are produced by several companies specialised in UHV equipment. These sources are used primarily for materials that are normally difficult to deposit due to their high evaporation temperature. They are appropriate for special applications, like heteroepitaxial thin films growth that require very low and well controlled deposition rate. We propose a simple and easily applicable method of evaporation rate control. The method is based on the measurement of ion current produced by electron bombardment of evaporated atoms. In order to be able to determine the ion current – evaporation flux calibration curves we measured the absolute values of evaporation flux by means of Bayard-Alpert ion gauge.     

A modified electron bombardment type ion source for the study of solids

A modified electron bombardment type ion source suitable for use with mass spectrometer is described. Ion formation occurs throughout a relatively large volume in the ionisation box, since no magnetic field is used to collimate the ionising electrons. A sensitivity of 2 × 10⁻⁵ amp/torr is obtained for an ion extraction energy of 2 keV and 200 mass resolution. Trajectory tracing has been used to study the operation of the ion source. Capability of the ion source to analyse solid samples in microgram quantity was tested by studying evaporation of BaO from tungsten.     

Differential sample charging in ESCA

An ESCA study of some “intermediate” conductors demonstrates a differential charging effect when the sample block is biased. The variation of the intensity and width of the peak from silver 3d electrons in silver iodide is used to show how the flux of the beam, the conductivity of the sample, the size and polarity of the bias and the grid mounting alter the effect. The results suggest that in unbiased samples differential sample charging contributes significantly to the width of peaks.     

Differential sample charging in ESCA

An ESCA study of some “intermediate” conductors demonstrates a differential charging effect when the sample block is biased. The variation of the intensity and width of the peak from silver 3d electrons in silver iodide is used to show how the flux of the beam, the conductivity of the sample, the size and polarity of the bias and the grid mounting alter the effect. The results suggest that in unbiased samples differential sample charging contributes significantly to the width of peaks.     

An yttrium Mξ source for ESCA

A new source for producing YMξ radiation in an ESCA spectrometer is described. The system makes use of continuous evaporation of yttrium on a rotating anode. It is demonstrated that this scheme allows YMξ-excited electron spectra to be recorded without gradual loss of resolution and intensity due to anode oxidation. Electron spectra of Ar, Hg and N₂ excited by YMξ radiation are studied. Relative photoelectric cross-sections of the 5d_{$\text{5}\text{2}$}, 5d_{$\text{5}\text{2}$} and 6s orbitals in Hg and the four valence orbitals in N₂ are measured. The valence electron shake-up spectrum of N₂ is discussed.     

ESCA studies on changes in surface composition under ion bombardment

The influence of ion bombardment on the composition of surfaces was investigated by means of ESCA. The bombardment of metal oxides with inert gas ions results, not only in sputtering of the surface, but also in reduction of the oxides. The rate of reduction is particularly high when the oxide/metal interface is within the range of the bombarding ions. Ion induced reduction was found in oxide layers, thinner than the escape depth of the photoelectrons, on Mo, W, Nb, Ta, Ti, Zr, Si, and Bi. The relationship between reduction phenomena, on the one hand, and the ion energy, angle of incidence, mass of the gas used for bombardment, and ion current density, on the other hand, was investigated in the case of the Mo/Mo-oxide system. Ion bombardment of surfaces may also result in the formation of new compounds. Two examples of this are the formation of carbides through the bombardment of contaminated surfaces and the ion induced formation of C-F compounds from a mixture of K₂SiF₆ and carbon.     

太赫兹源场致发射电子源

通过粒子模拟(PIC)软件模拟计算了在ps级别下二极与三极结构碳纳米管场致发射的电流密度与电子注聚焦性能。阳极电压在2 kV时,二极结构下电流密度达到1.85 A/cm2;三极结构下,栅压700 V时发射电流密度达到2.3 A/cm2,且在一定的三极结构参数与电极电压下,可以获得较好的电子注聚束效果。通过碳纳米管二极管发射实验,获得了6.6 A/cm2的发射电流密度,总发射电流达到52.1 mA,可以为太赫兹器件提供连续发射的电子注。     

太赫兹源场致发射电子源

通过粒子模拟(PIC)软件模拟计算了在ps级别下二极与三极结构碳纳米管场致发射的电流密度与电子注聚焦性能。阳极电压在2 kV时,二极结构下电流密度达到1.85 A/cm2;三极结构下,栅压700 V时发射电流密度达到2.3 A/cm2,且在一定的三极结构参数与电极电压下,可以获得较好的电子注聚束效果。通过碳纳米管二极管发射实验,获得了6.6 A/cm2的发射电流密度,总发射电流达到52.1 mA,可以为太赫兹器件提供连续发射的电子注。     

Hydrogen diffusion in steels under electron bombardment

We report on the results of measurement of the coefficients of hydrogen diffusion through metal membranes in the course of their simultaneous hydrogen saturation and bombardment with electrons (energy 30 keV, current density from 3 to 30 µA/cm²) both in a broad and in a narrow beam. It is found that the time of hydrogen discharge from the membrane is determined by the parameters of the electron beam, its periodicity and duration, and also depends on the structure of the phase state of the metal membrane. It is shown that the diffusion coefficient increases when a narrow electron beam in the scanning regime is used. Analysis of the hydrogen yield as a function of time is carried out on a mass spectrometer connected to a vacuum chamber containing an electron gun, a beam sweep oscillator, and an electrolytic cell. The hydrogen diffusion coefficients under the action of a scanning electron beam are 15 times larger than under the same conditions without irradiation.     

Proposal for a quantum-degenerate electron source

We propose a pulsed electron source capable of 6D brightness orders-of-magnitude greater than that of existing sources. It could deliver average current up to 0.5 pA and achieve an emittance approaching the quantum limit in each spatial dimension. It could be employed to advantage in electron microscopy, inverse photo-emission, precision low-energy scattering experiments, and electron holography. This source could make possible pump-probe experiments with Angstrom spatial and subpicosecond time resolution. Here, we present the basic concepts of the source, including a generalized expression for the brightness that can be used in the quantum limited case and the analysis of the main issues that must be addressed for successful construction and operation. We have begun an experiment to demonstrate its essential features.     

Chlorine migration under electron bombardment observed by aes

During heating, a TiAl alloy becomes covered by elemental sulphur and chlorine which remain segregated at the surface after cooling. Auger electron spectroscopy has shown that the chlorine disappears progressively with time at room temperature, while the sulphur is not removed. Experiments have been performed which show that the disappearance of chlorine is due to electron bombardment and that chlorine is expelled only locally from a zone around, and considerably larger than, the area of beam impact. We suggest that chlorine escapes from the impact area by superficial diffusion and not by electron-stimulated desorption. The influence of various parameters, such as the properties of the electron beam and the temperature of the sample, have been studied in an attempt to explain the observed electron beam effect.     

Ultracold electron source

We propose a technique for producing electron bunches that has the potential for advancing the state-of-the-art in brightness of pulsed electron sources by orders of magnitude. In addition, this method leads to femtosecond bunch lengths without the use of ultrafast lasers or magnetic compression. The electron source we propose is an ultracold plasma with electron temperatures down to 10 K, which can be fashioned from a cloud of laser-cooled atoms by photoionization just above threshold. Here we present results of simulations in a realistic setting, showing that an ultracold plasma has an enormous potential as a bright electron source.     

Auger electron emission by ion bombardment of light metals

The energy distribution of secondary electrons ejected from a metallic target upon ion bombardment (Ar⁺, 10 keV) is studied with a 180° magnetic analyser, particularly in the vicinity of the Auger peaks that appear in the electron spectra of the light metals (Li, Be; Na, Mg, Al, Si). A qualitative explanation based on the correlation diagrams which described the evolution of the electronic levels during the collision of two atoms inside the target is proposed to interpret the variation of the Auger peak intensity with the atomic number of the target.     

Secondary electron emission and the detection of the vacuum level in ESCA

Samples irradiated in an ESCA spectrometer emit and receive intense electron fluxes due to secondary emission. Charging and surface potential of non conducting sample is mainly determined by these electron fluxes. The measurement of the secondary electron emission energy distribution (SEED) allows the determination of the sample vacuum level and in particular its work function in the case of conducting samples. Criteria to check the correctness of (SEED) measurements are presented.     

Detection of modulated molecular beams with electron bombardment detectors

By means of refinements in the modulated molecular beam technique the signal-to-noise ratio can be greatly improved, and differential cross-sections, for collision of molecuies of the same species, can be measured. This was accomplished by combining beam modulation and phase sensitive detection with very sharp turning on the front end of the lock-in-amplifier and long integration times on the output. In addition, the signal-to-noise ratio of the Ar-Ar system as a function of integration time was investigated using two different types of electron bombardment detectors an Aberth ion-source and a quadrupole mass filter. With an integration time of 40 min the estimated upper limit to the signal-to-noise ratio is 1500 to 1 for the Aberth ion-source. Using quadrupole mass filter with an integration time of 60 min the estimated upper limit to the signal-to-noise ratio is 5 × 10⁴ to 1. For chemical kinetics studies this ratio may be two orders of magnitude higher. Measurements were carried out at the Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana, USA.     

Low-energy electron beam source

Experimental results of research into a ferroelectric-plasma-source-assisted hollow anode (HA) discharge as a source of low-energy electron beams are presented. To generate electron beams, the HA auto-bias negative voltage was achieved by the discharge current flowing through the resistor connecting the HA and the grounded electrode. It is shown that this method allows reliable and reproducible generation of low-energy electron beams with electron energy of several hundreds of eV, electron current density up to several A/cm² and pulse duration of several tens of microseconds.