Temperature dependence of low-energy positron-induced Auger-electron emission: Evidence for high surface sensitivity

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Abstract
We report the experimental observation of the temperature dependence of the intensity of low-energy positron-annihilation-induced Auger-electron emission spectroscopy (PAES) from Cu(100). These studies show that the mechanism for stimulating Auger electrons is found to compete with positronium (Ps) emission from a surface. The positrons that induce Auger-electron emission therefore originate from the same surface state from which Ps is thermally desorbed. Hence, PAES should have higher surface sensitivity (∼1 Å) relative to conventional methods for generating Auger-electron emission from surfaces (∼5–10 Å).