Core excitation and decay in rare gas mono- and multilayers on a metal surface: screening, deexcitation, and desorption of neutrals and ions

Abstract

In order to investigate the modification of excitation and decay of core holes by condensation and adsorption in the simplest possible cases, as well as the coupling to atomic motion, we have studied the Ar2p and Kr3d excitation regions in Ar and Kr mono- and multilayers on Ru(001). Using synchrotron radiation from BESSY (Berlin), total and Auger electron yields and yields of desorbing ions and neutrals, as function of photon energy, as well as decay electron spectra for specific primary excitations have been measured. The main results are:Multilayers: Energies for resonant core excitations are shifted to higher values by 0.6 to 1 eV compared to free atoms; for Kr, surface (smaller shifts) and bulk excitations can be distinguished. Autoionization and normal Auger spectra are clearly different, as in the gas phase. Besides desorption of neutral atoms as in the valence region, singly and doubly charged ions as well as ionic clusters are desorbed.Monolayers: The shift of resonant excitation energies relative to the gas phase is smaller than for condensed layers. Decay spectra for resonant and non-resonant excitations are identical, as for strongly coupled chemisorbates, proving that charge exchange with the metal is fast compared to core decay. As in the valence region, only neutral atoms desorb.The results shed light on the screening and charge transfer behaviour and on the mechanisms of stimulated desorption which are operative in them.