Phase of reflection of very low energy electrons at crystal surfaces

The amplitude coefficients of electron reflection at crystal surfaces are complex numbers, each of which may be characterized by a reflection intensity (the squared modulus of the coefficient) and a phase. The phase of reflection of very low energy (? 10 eV) electron reflection is described on the basis of existing theory, and experimental approaches to phase determination are reviewed. Theoretical properties of the phase are described on the basis of the two-beam dynamical theory of diffraction. The model considered is an idealized substrate crystal with an attached selvedge (surface region). The indirect effect of inelastic scattering (absorption) is included by going to complex values of the electron energy or of the surface-normal component K of the propagation vector. In the absence of a selvedge the phase is determined solely by the band structure of the substrate crystal. If a selvedge is present there are large additional effects on the phase associated with zeros of the amplitude coefficient of reflection on the complex K plane. The experimental approaches considered are: (1) measurement of the kinetic energy distributions of ions produced in the field ion microscope, and (2) measurement of the periodic deviations from the Schottky line in field-assisted thermionic emission and photo-emission. Recent results of phase determination for W (011) surface by method (1) are summarized and compared with theoretical expectations.     

Deconvolution of very low primary energy SIMS depth profiles

In this paper, the deconvolution of SIMS profiles analysed at very low primary energy (0.5 keV/O₂⁺) is addressed. The depth resolution function (DRF) of the SIMS analysis in presence of roughness is established and a deconvolution procedure is implemented without or in presence of roughness on samples containing delta-doped layers of boron in silicon. It is shown that the deconvolution procedure can lead to a great improvement of the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the measured peaks in the case where no roughness in detected in the crater bottom. In the case where it is present, the conditions required to use a deconvolution procedure are discussed, and the deconvolution is implemented using precise and restrictive assumptions.     

The optimization of electrostatic energy selection systems for low energy electrons

Design criteria are presented which allow electrostatic energy selection systems to be optimized to give the highest currents for electron beams having a low mean energy (? 500 eV) and a small energy spread (? 30 meV). Limitations in various parts of the system are discussed and a relationship between the current delivered by the system and the energy spread is presented. Different types and sizes for the energy selectors in these systems are considered and the best results are obtained with hemispherical deflectors. The advantage of using, within reasonable limits, a large selector with small image sizes is also demonstrated.     

低能电子穿越绝缘体微孔膜动力学过程研究

采用二维位置灵敏的微通道板探测器对能量为1500 eV的低能电子束穿过孔径为400 nm、未经照射过的的聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯(PET)微孔膜后的全角分布以及时间演化进行了测量,同时采用自制的积分式能谱测量装置测量了穿透电子的能量分布。实验结果表明:在充电阶段,当入射电子束束流较弱时,透射电子强度随充电时间逐渐上升;充电过程中,透射电子的角分布宽度由小变大,但是角分布中心基本不随膜的倾角移动。对出射电子达到平衡态时的电子能谱的测量表明,穿透电子的能量保持着入射时的能量。对于理解电子在绝缘体微孔中的传输给出了新的实验证据,给出了可能形成“导向效应”的微孔内部电场的条件。     

The elastic scattering of low energy electrons from Xenon

Calculations are presented of angular distributions for electrons elastically scattered from xenon in the energy range 5.5 to 10 eV. The potential describing the xenon atom is determined by the X_α-approximation. The relative dependence with energy of the differential cross section at 30° scattering angle has been calculated in the range 30 to 200 eV. The theoretical results are in very good agreement with experimental data.     

Recombination of electrons with highly charged heavy ions at very low energies

Recombination of highly charged ions with free electrons is studied in merged-beams experiments at the UNILAC accelerator in Darmstadt and at the heavy-ion storage ring TSR in Heidelberg. Unexpected high recombination rates are observed for a number of ions at very low energiesE _cm in the electron-ion center-of-mass frame. In particular, theoretical estimates for radiative recombination are dramatically exceeded by the experimental recombination rates of U²⁸⁺ ions nearE _cm=0 eV. The observations point to a general phenomenon in electron ion recombination depending onE _cm, on the ion charge state, and possibly also on electron density, electron beam temperature, and strength of external magnetic fields.     

A time-of-flight spectrometer for angle-resolved detection of low energy electrons in two dimensions

We have developed a time-of-flight photoelectron spectrometer that simultaneously analyzes low energy electrons photoemitted from solid surfaces in an energy- and angle-resolved manner. To achieve this, a field free drift tube with an acceptance angle of 22° is combined with two-dimensional position-sensitive detection of photoelectrons, which is realized by a microchannel plate stack and a delay-line anode for position encoding. Here, we present the design considerations and principles of operation including analysis of multiple events per light pulse. The performance of the spectrometer is demonstrated by photoemission from a Cu(111) single crystalline surface by UV femtosecond laser pulses at 6.2 eV photon energy. PACS 71.20.-b; 73.20.At; 78.47.J-; 79.60.-i     

Angular and energy distributions of low energy electrons from backscattered-conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy

Angular and energy distributions of backscattered-low energy resonant and nonresonant electrons from iron films are studied both theoretically and experimentally. The results indicate that relatively few emerging resonant or nonresonant electrons are observed/predicted between 600 eV and 50 eV kinetic energy. A significant fraction of the total electron signal emerges, however, below 50 eV, which is shown to result from low energy Auger cascades, low energy shake-off electrons and secondary electrons attributed to higher energy events. The large number of low energy electrons permits relatively short acquisition times (ca. 1h) and enhanced surface sensitivities. They may be especially useful in future depth-deconvolution efforts.     

低能二次电子对微波输能窗击穿现象的影响

在微波输能窗次级电子倍增效应的模拟研究中,往往忽视低能电子的作用。基于Monte Carlo算法,模拟输能窗次级电子倍增规律,研究了经典的Vaughan模型、Vincent模型和Rice模型三种二次电子发射模型下次级电子倍增效应的差异,通过拟合倍增敏感曲线,获得了低能电子对切向和法向电场作用下输能窗次级电子倍增效应的影响。模拟结果表明,当切向电场作用时,三个发射模型得到的敏感曲线几乎重合,低能电子对敏感曲线的影响甚微,其中Rice模型的敏感区域最大。当法向电场作用时,由Vincent模型拟合得到的敏感区域远大于其他两个模型。     

Generation of low energy resonant electrons during relaxation of57Fe

Collection of low energy electrons (<15 eV) duringConversionElectronMossbauerSpectroscopy (CEMS) provides enhanced surface sensitivity. Spectra collected from a 0.928⁵⁷Fe foil using retarding field energy analyzers in conjunction with spiraltron electron multipliers demonstrates both resonant and nonresonant count rates which decrease by as much as 50% at 10 eV bias potential. Spectra from samples with the topmost 1.0 nm chemically labeled had total spectral areas of 99.0%mm/sec. The area ratio of the resonant 1.0 nm overlayer to the resonant substrate was 1.43 at 0 eV bias potential while at 15 eV the ratio decreased to 0.72. By vacuum evaporating a 5.0 nm copper coating on the sample, near complete attenuation of the low energy electrons from the 1.0 nm overlayer was achieved. These results suggest that some low energy electrons below 15 eV are formed as primary products of electronic relaxation following nuclear decay and that they are not the result of straggling or other scattering phenomena.     

Surface-state parameters from very low energy electron reflection data

A parametric form of the amplitude of elastic reflection of very low energy electrons is derived. The amplitude expression conforms to the results of an earlier analysis of a simple case of electron reflection called the quasi two-beam case. The parameters in the amplitude expression refer to: (1) the surface states of the crystal; (2) the band structure of the substrate crystal; and (3) absorption (inelastic scattering) in the energy range of the experiment The amplitude expression also includes parameters relating to (4) the behavior of the amplitude at infinity and at negative energy.The amplitude expression is used to parameterize existing experimental results for nickel (001) and for the surface formed by adsorption of sodium on nickel (001) to form the centered (2 × 2) structure. The parameterization employs previously-computed values of parameters relating to the nickel band structure [category (2) above], and parameters in categories (1), (3) and (4) are adjusted to fit the electron-reflection data. In the case of the sodium-covered surface it is shown that the shape of the intensity-energy curve and the general level of intensity relative to that for clean nickel depends critically on the surface-state parameters. Two surface states are needed to fit the intensity data The values of the surface-state parameters are: location relative to vacuum level: 2.5 ± 0.1, 6.9 ± 0.2eV; width: 4.2 ± 0.4, 7.5 ± 1.0eV. The classification and significance of surface-state resonances is discussed briefly.     

Phonon scattering by electrons and low energy excitations in a metallic glass

Measurements of the thermal conductivity of a superconducting metallic glass Zr₇₀Cu₃₀ in zero field and in a magnetic field exceeding the upper critical field allow a quantitative determination of the strength of the phonon-electron scattering for the first time in amorphous metals. The temperature dependence of the residual phonon scattering by localized low energy excitations is similar to that found in insulating glasses.     

Molecular depth profiling of polymers with very low energy ions

The need for a molecular depth profiling technique to study organic layers has become a strong incentive in the SIMS community in the last few years, especially with the recent successes obtained with cluster ion beam depth profiling. In this work, we have investigated a thoroughly different approach by using very low energy (down to 200 eV) monoatomic or diatomic ions to sputter organic matter. Quite surprisingly, we were able to retain specific molecular information on various polymers even at very high fluence.Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films were depth-profiled with 200 eV Cs⁺ and 500 eV O₂⁺ ions. With 200 eV Cs ions, the best profiles were obtained in the negative mode, due to a strong negative ionisation yield enhancement related to Cs retention in the polymer. A relatively high and stable signal from the most characteristic ions was measured all over the layer.With 500 eV O₂⁺, real molecular depth-profiles were also obtained in both the positive and the negative modes. Once again, the main characteristic fragments of PET or PMMA remain detectable with stable yields all over the profile.     

Interaction of low energy electrons with formic acid monomer,dimer and trimer

Configurations of the formic acid monomer, dimer and trimer are presented. We have calculated the total energies for these structures. We have considered also the negatively charged clusters and discussed the possible pathways of interaction of low energy electrons with monomers and clusters. Calculations have been executed using 6-311G** and 6-311++G** basis sets. The electron affinities of monomer and clusters are presented. Influence of choice of the molecular basis set is also discussed. Only such systematic studies allow to explain values observed experimentally, for example in electron attachment experiments on formic acid [1].     

Differential cross section surfaces for low energy scattering of electrons and positrons from rare gas atoms

The differential cross sections for scattering of electrons and positrons from He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe at projectile energies below the inelastic thresholds are calculated using a model potential approach in which the interaction between the projectile and the target atom is partitioned into static, exchange (for electrons), and correlation-polarization parts. Two different forms of the parameter-free correlation-polarization potential are suggested; in both cases the correlation-polarization potential is determined by smoothly matching the asymptotic form of the polarization potential (1/r ⁴) to the correlation potential at the outermost orbital radius of the target atom. The results of angular distributions are presented in the form of contours of constant differential cross sections as well as in the form of differential cross section surfaces in three-dimensional plots. Both of these presentations display the locations of the principal maxima and minima of the differential cross sections as well as the critical points in a very useful manner.     

Excited level lifetime measurements following very low energy nuclear recoils

Using high resolution gamma spectroscopy it is possible to observe Doppler broadening of gamma transitions from excited states which have themselves been populated after emission of gamma photons or other low energy nuclear radiation. This allows the determination of the lifetimes of these intermediate states, providing the time dependence of the recoil velocities is known. Conversely, if the lifetime is well known, this technique may be used to study the recoil process itself (and hence the atomic interaction) at energies of only a few times the lattice binding energy.