Abstract

Bombardment of solids by energetic beams of electrons, photons, or ions is generally accompanied by the ejection of particles from the surface. The ejected particles include ground-state neutral atoms and molecules, electronically excited atoms, and ionic species. We have performed a variety of experiments on the bombardment of alkali-halides by electron and ion beams. These experiments suggest a new mechanism for the formation of excited atoms and positive ions due to electron bombardment of alkali-halides. Additional measurements provide an interesting contrast between excited atom production by the bombardment of alkali-halides with ion vs. electron beams.

© 1987 Optical Society of America