Emission of low-energy electrons from multicharged ions interacting with metal surfaces

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Abstract
Low-energy electron spectra are reported for 60- and 100-keV multicharged ions interacting at an incident angle of 20° with Au and Cu surfaces. Analysis of the spectra indicate that at least two features contribute. The first feature represents the major contribution to the total electron yield and consists of 5–10-eV electrons emitted over a wide range of angles. The angular distribution of this component is not symmetric with respect to the surface normal, but shows an increase in the forward direction of the incident ions. It will be shown that this component arises predominantly from below the surface. Possible potential-emission mechanisms which may contribute will be discussed. The second feature, which constitutes a minor part of the overall electron emission, occurs at higher electron energies (∼20 eV), and is peaked at the extreme forward angles. Binary encounters between incident ions and metal electrons at the surface-vacuum interface will be shown to describe the main features of this component. At even higher electron energies (>40 eV) the spectra show a tail whose slope does not depend on either the initial charge state or kinetic energy of the incident ions. The invariance with kinetic energy is in sharp contrast with the corresponding experimental results from ion-atom collisions.