Inelastic processes in ion/surface collisions: Scattered ion fractions and VUV photon emission for Ne+ and Ar+ collisions with Mg and Y surfaces

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Abstract
Time‐of‐flight (TOF) scattering spectra and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photon emission spectra resulting from 1–10 keV Ne+ and Ar+ ions impinging on magnesium and yttrium surfaces and the corresponding oxidized and hydroxylated surfaces have been measured. Measurements of the scattered neutrals plus ions and neutrals only are used to calculate scattered ion fractions Y+ for the single scattering collisions. The Y+ values rise steeply at low ion energies E0 (∼1–2 keV), reaching values of 70% and 38% at 10 keV for Ne+/Mg and Ar+/Y, respectively, and are very sensitive to adsorbate coverage. The dominant photon emission observed from the clean metals in the VUV range 30–200 nm is 1,3P → 1S resonance radiation from the excited neutral projectile atoms; emission was also observed from excited H and O for adsorbate covered surfaces. A model is developed for electronic transitions in keV ion/surface collisions which considers Auger and resonant transitions along the ion trajectory and electron promotions in the quasidiatomic molecule of the close encounter. By making an assumption of equality in the close encounter, the model can be fitted to the experimental data, allowing determination of ionization PI and neutralization PN probabilities as a function of the distance of approach. The results show that electron promotions within MO’s of the collision complex formed during encounter are significant, if not dominating, processes in keV ion surface collisions.