Experimental study of electron ejection by heavy ion irradiation of solids: Observation of forward and backward emitted electron jets

Abstract

Doubly differential cross sections for electron emission induced by the passage of swift heavy ions such as F q+ (1.5–2.0 MeV/u) through thin solid foil targets were measured at the Tandem accelerator of the JR Macdonald Laboratory at Kansas State University. The complete angular distribution of electron emission up to 4000 eV (beyond the maximum of the “binary encounter” electron peak) was determined as a function of the projectile charge state ( q=5 and 9) and the target material in a wide Z range: C ( Z=6), Al ( Z=13) and Au ( Z=79). Electrons emitted from the foils between 0 and ±180° with respect to the beam axis were energy and angle analysed by means of a toroidal electrostatic electron spectrometer equipped with a 2D position sensitive channelplate detector. In addition to low energy cascade electrons, electrons from collective excitation (plasmons), target Auger electrons, convoy electrons and binary encounter electrons, we also observe a new feature never before seen in electron angular distributions: narrow electron jets (“spikes”) emitted along the ion beam axis in forward and backward directions. This observation is made possible by the good angular resolution of our spectrometer and the possibility to record the entire angular distribution in a single run.