Photoelectron–Auger electron coincidence study for condensed matter

Abstract

Advances in materials science have produced a wide array of new solid-state systems with tunable properties and previously unattainable combinations of phenomena that hold the promise of entirely new approaches to technological applications. Invariably, these new materials are increasingly complex and include a large number of constituents in a variety of chemical states. Entirely new theoretical and experimental approaches are needed to gain the insights necessary for intelligent engineering of these materials. In the past 20 years, a steadily increasing number of electron–electron coincidence experiments on atoms and molecules have demonstrated the capability of investigating complicated systems with sensitivity and specificity well beyond the limits imposed by conventional electron spectroscopies. Over the past decade or so, Auger–photoelectron coincidence spectroscopy (APECS) has emerged as a powerful technique for obtaining detailed information about complex materials systems. Moreover, the recent advent of angle-resolved (AR)-APECS has introduced a new level of discrimination in studying the distribution of electrons photoemitted from complex systems. In this review, we describe the basic ideas behind APECS and discuss a study of the SiO 2 system as an example of the unique information this technique can provide. We then introduce the concept of AR-APECS, explain its novel state and angular momentum selectivity that can be used to disentangle information about complex systems that is hidden to conventional spectroscopies. Examples of AR-APECS measurements from Cu, Ge, and graphite that exemplify the capabilities of this technique are presented.