On the deexcitation mechanism in Auger electron appearance potential spectroscopy

Contributions of electrons with different energies to the Auger Electron Appearance Potential Spectroscopy signal were measured for Ti, Cr, Mn and Fe by means of a method using a 3-grid retarding field system. This system permits to register a signal formed by electrons of energies either from zero to a given energy E G or from that energy to the primary energy E p. The importance of slow electrons was found in all cases. Numbers of slow electrons emitted at the disappearance of one elastically reflected electron at threshold potentials were calculated. They extend from 2.7 to about 3.7 for L 2,3 shells and are higher, namely 7–11, for L 1 shells. This results, as well as the fact that the Disappearance Potential Spectroscopy signal overcompensates the Auger Electron Appearance Potential Spectroscopy signal usually at several tens of eV for L 2,3 levels while at some hundreds of eV for L 1 levels, are discussed. Conclusions concerning the information depths of the methods are drawn.