Auger Electron Appearance Potential Spectrum of Ni

Electrons are accelerated onto a solid polycrystalline Ni surface. These primary electrons interact with the surface to produce one of two phenomena: x-ray flourescence, or Auger electron emission. Auger Electron Appearance Potential Spectroscopy (AEAPS) is a process by which the Auger component of the secondary electron flux is analysed to extract qualitative information about the electronic structure of the empty conduction band states. In AEAPS, the threshold behavior of the Auger transitions is examined by taking the first derivative of the secondary electron current with respect to the incident electron energy using the potential modulation technique. Width of the empty band, degree of localization of the conduction band wave functions, overlapping of the 3d band with the 4s, and satellite phenomena are among the important parameters ascertainable by AEAPS. The present AEAPS measurements of L3,2 levels of Ni are compared with the reported data from Soft X-ray Appear nce Potential Spectroscopy (SXAPS) of Ni. SXAPS is a complimentary process of AEAPS in that it examines the secondary x-ray fluorescence from the surface in much the same way as AEAPS examines the total electron yield. AEAPS, used alone, or in conjunction with SXAPS, is considered to be a powerful technique for the systematic investgation of series of metals, such as the transition, or lanthanide series.