Auger electron angular distributions from Al(100): Resolution of an apparent contradiction

Abstract

Complete Auger electron angular distributions have been measured from an Al(100) surface for the two principal Auger transitions, 64 eV(LMM) and 1388 eV(KLL). The results are consistent with angular distributions measured for other crystalline samples: intensity minima are observed along the internuclear directions at low kinetic energies (<100 eV), while intensity maxima are observed along those same directions at higher kinetic energies (≳300 eV). The earliest reported polar profiles for the Al(100) 64 eV Auger peak appeared to contradict this trend, exhibiting intensity maxima along the surface normal. However, the present results do not confirm that aspect of the earliest measurements. Furthermore, the present results are found to be in good agreement with more recent measurements reported by other laboratories, suggesting that the apparent discrepancy is attributable to experimental factors in the earliest measurements. That is, the Auger emission from Al(100) follows the trends observed for other elements.