Singlet to triplet conversion of metastable He atoms during deexcitation at a Cs-covered surface

Journal Article · Mon Aug 05 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.55.611· OSTI ID:5371909

Woratschek, B; Sesselmann, W; Kueppers, J; Ertl, G; Haberland, H

Electron emission from a Cs monolayer on a Cu(110) surface by impact of metastable /sup 3/S He( atoms is caused by Auger deexcitation as demonstrated by identification of Cs 5p- and 6s-derived levels in the electron energy distribution curves. These curves recorded with /sup 1/S He( are almost identical, and it turns out that only a small fraction of the singlet atoms undergo direct Auger deexcitation while the major part is converted into the triplet state from where Auger deexcitation occurs. A novel mechanism for this spin-flip process is proposed; it is accompanied by the creation of an electron-hole pair in the target for conservation of energy and total spin.

• Research Organization: Institut fuer Physikalische Chemie, Universitat Muenchen, Federal Republic of Germany
• OSTI ID: 5371909
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 55:6; ISSN PRLTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640301* -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Beams & their Reactions
640302 -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Atomic & Molecular Properties & Theory
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ALKALI METALS
ATOM COLLISIONS
AUGER EFFECT
CESIUM
COLLISIONS
CONVERSION
COPPER
DE-EXCITATION
ELECTRON EMISSION
ELECTRON SPECTRA
ELECTRON-HOLE DROPLETS
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITED STATES
FLUIDS
GASES
HELIUM
METALS
METASTABLE STATES
NONMETALS
PLASMA
RARE GASES
SOLID-STATE PLASMA
SPECTRA
SPIN FLIP
TRANSITION ELEMENTS