Transient effect in light emission during oxygen ion bombardment of a beryllium–copper target

Light emission from a BeCu sample under 6 keV O2+ bombardment is studied. BeI, BeII and CuI spectral lines show transient at beam-off conditions. At the base pressure of rest gas, the transients are relatively strong, especially for BeII. When the target chamber is backfilled with oxygen at high pressure, the transients become weak for BeII and CuI lines and almost absent for all of the BeI lines.