As(0001) surfaces: Auger,loss, and photoelectron spectroscopic studies

The (0001) surfaces of arsenic single crystals have been characterized by Auger, loss, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A comparison of the results leads to an unusual suggestion for excitation, conduction, and emission modes in the low-energy region. It is proposed that the dominant 20 eV near-elastic loss is the excitation of N₁(4s) electrons to a conduction level 2 eV above the instrumental vacuum level. It is also proposed that two low-energy “Auger-like” peaks at 12 eV and 1.5 eV are electrons emitted at the surface from permitted bands in the bulk. A strong correlation among Auger and loss signals, integrated secondary-electron emission, elastic peak heights and the Kikuchi display is also reported. A study of the Kikuchi correlation of the 12 eV peak suggests that the surface Debye-Waller effect on As(0001) is a long-range, collective oscillation rather than short-range, individual atomic disorder.