Ion-electron emission from a cold metal target covered by xenon

Abstract

The energy spectra of electrons induced by xenon ion bombardment of the Fe-Ni alloy target covered by frozen xenon were measured. Three broad maxima superimposed on the background which ranges from zero to a few hundred electron volts were observed. Excluding the first maximum which is a typical maximum of bulk electrons from the metal the yield of electrons shows some angular anisotropy in the region of large detection angles. It is assumed that the emission of these electrons is connected with the creation of the symmetric quasi-molecules Xe++Xe0. The background is associated with direct ionisation of the quasi-molecules during the approach of the collision particles, and the structure of the energy spectrum with outer-shell and inner-shell molecular auto-ionisation processes. The presence of the xenon condensed layer on the metal target was tested by energy analysis of the back-scattered neon ions. The xenon peak and the so-called double-scattering maximum which is attributed to the solid state were found on the energy distribution curve.