Predominance of multielectron processes contributing to the intrinsic spectra of low-energy Auger transitions in copper and gold

Journal Article · Sat Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVB.84.155109· OSTI ID:21596899

Mukherjee, S F; Shastry, K; Weiss, A H ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019 (United States)

Positron-annihilation-induced Auger electron spectroscopy (PAES) was used to obtain Cu and Au Auger spectra that are free of primary-beam-induced backgrounds by impinging the positrons at an energy below the secondary-electron-emission threshold. The removal of the core electron via annihilation in the PAES process resulted in the elimination of postcollision effects. The spectra indicate that there is an intense low-energy tail (LET) associated with the Auger peak that extends all the way to 0 eV. The LET is interpreted as indicative of processes in which filling of the core hole by a valence electron results in the ejection of two or more valence electrons which share the energy of the conventional core-valence-valence Auger electron.

• OSTI ID: 21596899
• Journal Information: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Journal Name: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics Journal Issue: 15 Vol. 84; ISSN 1098-0121
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANNIHILATION
ANTILEPTONS
ANTIMATTER
ANTIPARTICLES
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
COPPER
ELECTRON EMISSION
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
FERMIONS
GOLD
INTERACTIONS
LEPTONS
MATTER
METALS
PARTICLE INTERACTIONS
POSITRONS
SPECTRA
SPECTROSCOPY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VALENCE