Coincidence Auger spectroscopy

Abstract

Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) are (with X-ray emission spectroscopy, XES) powerful analytical tools for material science and gas phase studies. However, the interpretation of Auger spectra can be very difficult due to the number and complexity of the involved processes. A deeper analysis, that allows a better understanding of relaxation processes following inner shell ionization, is possible with coincidence Auger spectroscopy. This method gives a new insight into electron correlation and allows disentangling of complex Auger electron spectra. In this paper, we present some examples related to gas phase coincidence Auger electron spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation. The detection in coincidence of an Auger electron with a threshold photoelectron presents two main advantages which are good energy resolution and high coincidence count rates. This technique has also provided new results on double Auger decay processes. A further qualitative breakthrough has been made with the development of a new experimental set-up based on a magnetic bottle time-of-flight electron spectrometer. This opens up the field of multi-electron coincidence spectroscopy and allows a most detailed analysis with characterization of all possible decay pathways following inner shell ionization.