Effect of phase on the formation of excited particles under ion bombardment of Fe–Co alloys

Investigations of the main parameters of ion–photon emission during Ar + ion bombardment of Fe and Co metals and Fe–Co alloys have been made. It was shown that the dependence of the quantum yields of the emissions of ejected excited Fe and Co atoms on the concentration of corresponding elements in the alloys generally decreased but showed local maxima. These maxima are related to concentrations of Fe and Co at which intermetallic compounds (FeCo, Fe 3Co, FeCo 3) are present. It is suggested that this local increase in excited metal atom signals is related to the breaking of intermetallic bonds.