Evidence for electron emission stimulated desorption from negative electron affinity GaAs surfaces

While desorption from surfaces caused by impinging electrons (electron stimulated desorption) is a well-established effect, electrons to be emitted also may give rise to desorption from an emitting surface (electron-emission stimulated desorption). Evidence for this effect is derived from data on the degradation of electron emission from negative electron affinity GaAs surfaces. The time dependence of the degradation is calculated, and agreement with the observed linear time dependence is found. Using the experimental degradation ata, the desorption cross section for the electron-emission stimulated desorption is obtained as 2 × 10^?25 cm².