Structural and Secondary Electron Yield Properties of Titanium–Palladium Films with Laser-Treated Copper Substrate for Application in Neutron Generators

Abstract

Secondary electron emission (SEE) of the oxygen-free high-conductivity copper (OFHC) target surface in neutron generators limits the stability and improvement of the neutron yield. A novel-type target of titanium–palladium films coated on laser-treated OFHC target substrate was proposed and explored in this work to obtain low secondary electron yield (SEY) without introducing any components. The combination of Ti–Pd films and laser-treated OFHC substrate can effectively suppress secondary electron emission and enhance the adsorption ability to hydrogen isotopes with the existence of Pd film. The surface morphologies, surface chemical states, and SEYs of Ti–Pd films with laser-treated OFHC substrate were studied systematically for the first time. The XPS results showed that the laser-treated OFHC substrate surface was basically covered by Pd film. However, the Pd film surface was partially oxidized, with percentages of 21.31 and 10.02% for PdO and PdO2, respectively. The SEYs of Ti–Pd films with laser-treated OFHC substrate were all below 1 within the investigated primary energy range of 100–3000 eV, which would be sufficient for application in neutron generators. Specifically, the maximum SEY (δmax) of laser-treated OFHC substrate coated by Ti–Pd films was 0.87 with corresponding incident electron energy of 400 eV.

Low-Energy Electron Damage to Plasmid DNA in Thin Films: Dependence on Substrates, Surface Density, Charging, Environment, and Uniformity

“…121 When a thin film is deposited on a substrate, the latter likely has a different SE emission yield than that of the sample. 122,123 With the present targets, the SE emission coefficient of Ta is about twice that of DNA. 124 Furthermore, the SE emission current from the DNA depends on film thickness, with progressively smaller contributions coming from deeper within the layer; whereas the primary electron beam is attenuated by the film causing less SE emission from the substrate.…”