Methods of calculating the band structure and low-energy secondary electron spectroscopy of iridium

A theoretical interpretation is put forward for the fine structure of the secondary electron emission spectra of Ir normal to the (111) surface and the total current spectrum of an Ir polycrystal. The calculations took into account the energy dependence of the broadening of the energy band levels, the electron-electron and electron-plasmon contributions to the nonequilibrium electron distribution function, and the isotropic component of the current from the electrons scattered at the surface. It is shown that the fine structure of the secondary electron emission spectrum and the total current spectrum is mainly attributable to the electron structure of the final states into which the electrons enter or from which they are emitted so that the characteristics of the band configuration in the energy band structure can be reconstructed directly from the experimental data. This method can be used to separate bulk effects from surface effects in the secondary electron emission and total current spectra. It is confirmed that the fine structure of the secondary electron emission and total current spectra depends on the geometric structure and the degree of ordering of the crystals. A reduction in the intensity of the fine structure serves as a measure of the defect structure in the surface region of the sample which can be successfully used to monitor the surface state during treatment. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 94–96 (June 1999)