Electron correlation effects in electron promotion processes during binary atomic collisions at solid surfaces

We report energy distributions of electrons emitted by Aluminum and Magnesium surfaces under the impact of singly charged neon ions with energies in the range 100–5000 eV, focusing on the Auger decay of electronic excitations produced during binary atomic collisions. The autoionization spectra of the projectiles show several peaks that are identified and assigned to specific collisional excitation processes. The data provide evidence for electron correlation effect that occur while the colliding atoms are still coupled in the quasi-molecular system and results in two-electron transitions.