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Surface characterization by energy distribution measurements of secondary electrons and of ion‐induced electrons
Author(s) -
Bauer H. E.,
Seiler H.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.740120211
Subject(s) - electron , characterization (materials science) , ion , secondary electrons , atomic physics , surface (topology) , energy distribution , materials science , chemistry , physics , nanotechnology , nuclear physics , organic chemistry , geometry , mathematics
Abstract Instruments for surface microanalysis (e.g. scanning electron or ion microprobes, emission electron or ion microscopes) use the current of emitted secondary electrons or of emitted ion‐induced electrons for imaging of the analysed surface. These currents, integrating over all energies of the emitted low energy electrons, are, however, not well suited to surface analytical purposes. On the contrary, the energy distribution of these electrons is extremely surface‐sensitive with respect to shape, size, width, most probable energy, and cut‐off energy. The energy distribution measurements were performed with a cylindrical miror analyser and converted into N(E) , if necessary. Presented are energy spectra of electrons released by electrons and argon ions of some contaminated and sputter cleaned metals, the change of the secondary electron energy distribution from oxidized aluminium to clean aluminium, and the change of the cut‐off energy due to work function change of oxidized aluminium, and of a silver layer on a platinum sample. The energy distribution of the secondary electrons often shows detailed structures, probably due to low‐energy Auger electrons, and is broader than the energy distribution of ion‐induced electrons of the same object point.