Premium
Inelastic Interactions of Slow Electrons with Adsorbed Particles
Author(s) -
Menzel Dietrich
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition in english
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 0570-0833
DOI - 10.1002/anie.197002551
Subject(s) - atomic physics , electron , inelastic collision , ion , adsorption , excitation , desorption , fragmentation (computing) , ionization , auger , auger electron spectroscopy , chemistry , materials science , metal , chemical physics , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , computer science , nuclear physics , operating system
When slow electrons impinge on metal surfaces which are covered with an adsorbed layer, desorption of neutral particles as well as of positive ions, partly accompanied by fragmentation of the adparticles, is observed. The mechanism of these processes is of interest in connection with existing concepts of the surface bond. The effect can also be used as a probe for the investigation of complex adsorption layers. Transfer of much smaller energies to the adsorbate can lead to vibrational excitation. This process may find application in the vibrational spectroscopic study of adsorbates. If the energy transferred in the inelastic collision is high enough to ionize low‐lying levels of the surface atoms, radiationless re‐ordering of the electron configuration (Auger‐effect) can occur subsequently. The secondary electrons of characteristic energy emitted in these processes can be used for qualitative analysis of the surface.