Particle Induced-Electron Emission I

This monograph discusses collision-induced electron emission from nearly free-electron metals by ion or electron impact, which has important implications for plasma-wall interactions in thermonuclear reactors and for electron microscopy.

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This monograph discusses collision-induced electron emission from nearly free-electron metals by ion or electron impact. This subject is of importance in understanding plasma-wall interactions in thermonuclear reactors. It is also the basis for one of the most advanced technological developments of the last few years - scanning electron miscroscopy. Several electron excitation mechanisms of electrons in the target are considered: excitation of single conduction and core electrons and excitation by plasmon decay and by Auger processes. Transport of inner excited electrons is simulated by the Boltzmann equation incorporating both elastic and inelastic collisions. The numerical calculation of scattering rates uses a dynamically screened Coulomb interaction. These results for the energy distributions of emerging electrons as well as the electron yield are compared with recent experimental measurements on electron emission from polycrystalline aluminium. This monograph on electron spectroscopy, plasma physics and condensed matter physics is intended for researchers, practitioners, lecturers and students.