Positron lifetime study of Pr1−xCaxMnO3 (x=0.5, 0.3) during magnetic transition

We measured the positron lifetime in perovskite manganites Pr_1−xCa_xMnO₃ (x=0.3, 0.5). Two lifetime components were observed for each compound; they were attributed to the annihilation of free positrons and positrons trapped at the A-site vacancies. The positron lifetime at the A-site vacancies changed significantly during the antiferromagnetic transition in both the compounds, whereas it was constant around the charge-ordering transition. This change indicates that the electron distribution at the vacancies changed possibly due to the change in the electron distribution of neighboring oxygen atoms. This result indicates that positron lifetime measurements can provide unique information on electronic states during a spin-related phase transition in various oxide materials.     

Characterization of sputtered W–Si–N thin films by a monoenergetic positron beam

A monoenergetic positron beam was employed to characterize the uniformity and the microstructural variation of thermally treated W–Si–N thin film. As the annealing temperature is increased, positrons are found to be progressively trapped in sites rich in silicon. This behavior is explained by the formation of W clusters from which positrons are favorably trapped into the Si–N amorphous matrix. Positron results are discussed together with information obtained on similar samples by Rutheford backscattering, infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy measurements.     

Production of a positron microprobe using a transmission remoderator.

A production method for a positron microprobe using a beta+-decay radioisotope (22Na) source has been investigated. When a magnetically guided positron beam was extracted from the magnetic field, the combination of an extraction coil and a magnetic lens enabled us to focus the positron beam by a factor of 10 and to achieve a high transport efficiency (71%). A 150-nm-thick Ni(100) thin film was mounted at the focal point of the magnetic lens and was used as a remoderator for brightness enhancement in a transmission geometry. The remoderated positrons were accelerated by an electrostatic lens and focused on the target by an objective magnetic lens. As a result, a 4-mm-diameter positron beam could be transformed into a microprobe of 60 microm or less with 4.2% total efficiency. The S parameter profile obtained by a single-line scan of a test specimen coincided well with the defect distribution. This technique for a positron microprobe is available to an accelerator-based high-intensity positron source and allows 3-dimensional vacancy-type defect analysis and a positron source for a transmission positron microscope.     

Application of positron annihilation induced Auger Electron Spectroscopy to the study of surface chemistry

Positron annihilation induced Auger Electron Spectroscopy (PAES), makes use a beam of low energy positrons to excite Auger transitions by annihilating core electrons. This novel mechanism provides PAES with a number of unique features which distinguishes it from other methods of surface analysis. In PAES the very large collisionally induced secondary electron background which is present under the low energy Auger peaks using conventional tecniques can be eliminated by using a positron beam whose energy is below the range of Auger electron energies. In addition, PAES is more surface selective than conventional Auger Spectroscopy because the PAES signal originates almost exclusively from the topmost atomic layer due to the fact that the positrons annihilating with the core electrons are trapped in an image correlation well just outside the surface. In this paper, recent applications of Positron Annihilation Induced Auger Electron Spectroscopy (PAES) to the study of surface structure and surface chemistry will be discussed including studies of the growth, alloying and inter-diffusion of ultrathin layers of metals, metals on semiconductors, and semiconductors on semiconductors. In addition, the possibilities for future application of PAES to the study of catalysis and surface chemistry will be outlined.     

A concept of a scanning positron microscope

The concept of a scanning positron microscope which is under construction in München and Trento will be shown. A beam with a variable energy from 1 to 30 keV and a spot diameter of 1 m, which can be scanned over an area of (0.6×0.6) mm², is formed after a double stage stochastic cooling of the positrons emitted from a radioactive source. Additionally, the beam will be pulsed to have a well-defined time base for positron lifetime measurements. The design of the microscope is dominated by special demands of positron physics. Therefore, the microscope contains electron optical elements which are well known but rarely used. These are the through the lens reflection remoderator and the optical column with a magnetic side gap lens as probe forming lens.     

Positronium formation at low temperatures: the role of trapped electrons

Measurements have been carried out of electron spin densities (by electron spin resonance technique) and positronium (Ps) formation probability as functions of Co-60 γ-irradiation dose in poly(methyl methacrylate) and linear poly(ethylene) at 77 K. We observe a linear relationship between the enhancement of the Ps formation and the density of trapped electrons in both polymers. This clear correlation strongly supports the previous suggestion by the authors that the increase in Ps formation with time (that has been observed at low temperatures for a number of polymers) can be explained as a reaction of free positrons with trapped electrons produced by the previously injected positrons.     

Investigation of the near surface region of chemically treated and Al-coated PMMA by Doppler-broadening spectroscopy

The positronium formation is studied in the near surface region of Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), which was treated with isopropanol and acetone by energy dependent Doppler-broadening spectroscopy. In addition, the variation of Ps-formation was investigated at aluminium-coated PMMA. The coincident DB (CDB) spectra reveal the fraction of positrons, which annihilate in the aluminium. All measurements were performed with mono-energetic positrons up to an energy of 31 keV at the CDB-spectrometer at the new positron beam facility NEPOMUC at FRM II.     

Positron interactions with overlayers of oxygen on GaAs(100)

The positron work-function, re-emission yield, and positronium fraction of an n-doped GaAs(100) surface were measured as a function of oxygen exposure. The energy distribution of positrons observed to be re-emitted indicated that the clean and oxygen exposed n-doped GaAs(100) surfaces had negative positron work-functions. The fraction of incident positrons re-emitted as bare positrons, (Y), was found to increase and the fraction re-emitted as positronium, (f_Ps), to decrease with increasing oxygen exposure. This suggests that surface modified GaAs may be useful as a contact material in the fabrication of GaAs based FAMs.     

Application of a pulsed slow-positron beam to polymers

Pulsed slow positrons were produced using a time-varying moderator bias with an interval of 82 ns; 97% of the positrons were compressed within 2 ns width at the target position. Both the positron annihilation lifetime and Doppler broadening of the positron annihilation radiation (DBPR) of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) were measured as a function of the incident energy of slow positrons. It was shown that the lifetime and intensity of the long-lived component of positron annihilation are independent of the positron incident energy above 1.2 keV. However, the width of the Doppler-broadened annihilation γ-ray increased in the energy region below 1.2 keV.     

Metallic Na formation in/on NaCl crystals with irradiation by electron or vacuum ultraviolet photons

Metallic Na was formed in/on NaCl single crystals by irradiating them with a variety of radiation sources, namely, 21 MeV electron pulses, an electron beam of 30 keV and photon fluxes in the VUV region. The physical states were analysed using several methods, optical absorption, lifetime measurement of positron annihilation, Auger electron spectroscopy and UV photoelectron spectroscopy. Metallic Na was obtained in different physical states; clusters were formed in bulk, thin layers (islands) and thick layers on the surface.     

Three photon annihilations of positrons and positronium in solids with two detectors in coincidence

The two-detector coincidence positron annihilation system at Washington State University was used to observe three-photon annihilation events of positrons. The decay of ortho-positronium (o-Ps) can be distinguished for para-Ps decay and positron two photon annihilations by the unique difference energy distribution. The apparatus was used to detect rare three-photon annihilations of positrons in metals.     

CO2 absorption of perovskites as seen by positron lifetime spectroscopy

The CO₂ absorption of several ABO₃ type perovskites was studied by positron lifetime spectroscopy. The longer positron lifetime was associated with positrons trapped by A site vacancies. The evaluated positron lifetime data indicated the relative stability of the crystal structure of Sr(Co_0.5Fe_0.5)O_3−δ against Ca doping at low Ca concentrations. Oxygen desorption and CO₂ absorption/desorption could also be followed by positron lifetime spectroscopy. It was shown that the concentration of oxygen vacancies has a large effect on positron lifetime data through the electron density of A site vacancies.     

Positrons as probes of Si(100) surface with adsorbed hydrogen and oxygen

Positron annihilation induced Auger spectra from the Si(100) surface exposed to hydrogen and oxygen are analyzed by performing calculations of positron surface states and annihilation characteristics of surface trapped positrons. Positron binding energies and work functions are also computed. It is found that the adsorption of hydrogen and oxygen on the Si(100) surface leads to a displacement of the positron surface state wave function away from the substrate Si atoms. As a result of this displacement, the overlap of the positron wave function with Si core electrons and, consequently, the annihilation probability of Si core electrons reduce, in agreement with experimental data.     

Production and application of pulsed slow positron beam using an electron linac

Slow positron beam is quite useful for non-destructive material research. At the Electrotechnical Laboratory (ETL), an intense slow positron beam line has been constructed by exploiting an electron linac in order to carry out various experiments on material analysis. The beam line can generate pulsed positron beams of variable energy and variable pulse period. Various capabilities of the intense pulsed positron beam is presented, based on the experience at the ETL, and the prospect for the future is discussed.     

Specific Features of Positron Annihilation in Aqueous Solutions of Alkali Metal Halides

The positron annihilation process was experimentally studied in aqueous solutions of NaF, NaCl, NaBr, and NaI over a wide concentration range. Different annihilation channels and their contribution to the overall process depending on the nature and concentration of halide ions were identified. A model was proposed, which assumes that positrons and halide ions form complexes having different lifetimes. Calculations in terms of the model showed a good fit to the experiment; the probabilities of formation of different positron and positronium states and their lifetimes were evaluated.     

Studies of the Auger spectrum from the (100) surface of GaAs using positron annihilation induced Auger electron spectroscopy

Measurements of the first high-resolution positron annihilation induced Auger spectrum from GaAs(100) are presented. The spectrum displays six As and three Ga Auger peaks below 110 eV, including a strong As M_4,5VV peak at 28 eV and a less intense Ga M_2,3M_4,5M_4,5 peak at 53 eV. The Auger peak intensities are used to obtain experimental annihilation probabilities for relevant core-level electrons. Experimental results are compared with first-principles calculations of positron surface states and annihilation characteristics of surface trapped positrons.     

Electron and positron atomic elastic scattering cross sections

A method was developed to calculate the total and differential elastic-scattering cross sections for incident electrons and positrons in the energy range from $\text{0.01}\text{eV}$ to $\text{1}\text{MeV}$ for atoms of Z=1–100. For electrons, hydrogen, helium, nitrogen, oxygen, krypton, and xenon, and for positrons, helium, neon, and argon atoms were considered for comparison with experimental data.First, the variationally optimized atomic static potentials were calculated for each atom by solving the Dirac equations for bound electron states. Second, the Dirac equations for a free electron or positron are solved for an atom using the previously calculated static potential accomplished (in the case of electrons) by “adjusted” Hara's exchange potential for a free-state particle. Additional to the exchange effects, the charge cloud polarization effects are considered applying the correlation-polarization potential of O'Connell and Lane (with correction of Padial and Norcross) for incident electrons, and of Jain for incident positrons.The total, cutoff and differential elastic-scattering cross sections are calculated for incident electrons and positrons with the help of the relativistic partial wave analysis. The solid state effects for scattering in solids are described by means of a muffin-tin model, i.e. the potentials of neighboring atoms are superpositioned in such a way that the resulting potential and its derivative are zero in the middle distance between the atoms. The potential of isolated atom is calculated up to the radius at which the long-range polarization potential becomes a value of −10⁻⁸.     

Electron spin multiplicities of transition-metal aromatic radicals and ions: M[C6(CH3)6] and M(+)[(C6(CH3)6] (M = Ti, V, and Co)

Determination of electron spin multiplicities of transition-metal radicals and ions challenges both experimentalists and theoreticians. In this work, we report preferred electron spin states of M[C(6)(CH(3))(6)] and M(+)(C(6)(CH(3))(6)], where M = Ti, V, and Co. The neutral radicals were formed in a supersonic metal cluster beam source, and their masses were measured with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Precise ionization energies of the radicals and metal-ligand stretching frequencies of the ions were measured by pulsed field ionization zero electron kinetic energy spectroscopy. C-H stretching frequencies of the methyl group in the radicals were obtained by infrared-ultraviolet two-photon ionization. Electron spin multiplicities of the radicals and ions were investigated by combining the spectroscopic measurements, density functional theory, and Franck-Condon factor calculations. The preferred spin states are quintet, sextet, and quartet for the neutral Ti, V, and Co radicals, respectively; for the corresponding singly charged cations, they are quartet, quintet, and triplet. In these high-spin states, the aromatic ring remains nearly planar. This finding contrasts to the previous study of Sc(hmbz), for which low-spin states are favored, and the aromatic ring is severely bent.     

Simulation of positronium: Toward more realistic models of void spaces in materials

An exact treatment of a positron and electron in a two-chain, Path Integral Monte Carlo (PIMC) simulation is used to calculate both self-annihilation and pick-off rates of Ps at finite temperature. We find the effect of the linear dielectric response of a homogeneous material on the annihilation rate of positrons and Ps in spherical voids. In addition, we find lifetimes and structural information for Ps in cylindrical channels, both with and without adsorbed fluid atoms.     

Temperature effects on positronium formation and inhibition: A contribution to the elucidation of early spur processes. II. Ethyleneglycol solutions

Further experiments on the temperature effects on positronium (Ps) formation and inhibition in liquids have been performed using ethyleneglycol as solvent. Positron lifetime spectroscopy and the Doppler broadening of annihilation lineshape (DBARL) technique have been used in conjunction for a better insight. The existence of two classes of inhibitors is confirmed: whereas NO₃^? is able to completely inhibit Ps formation at high enough concentration. Cl^? and ClO₄^? can only suppress a fraction of Ps. This fraction is temperature dependent and is found to be the same for these two latter solutes, although the inhibition mechanisms appear to be different, involving positron and electron scavenging, respectively. The temperature sensitivity of the inhibition constants is diverse: the inhibiting ability of NO₃^? decreases with temperature while that of Cl^? is markedly enhanced and K_ClO4^? remains unchanged. These findings point to the implication of different salvation states of the positron and of the electron in the Ps formation mechanism. Although Cl^? very probably reacts with positrons to form (e⁺ Cl^?), analysis of the DBARL data suggests more than one positron bound state may be involved. This possiblity is discussed.