Measurement of tribo-emission from oxide-covered metals

Abstract

An apparatus is described for the investigation of chemically stimulated, photostimulated and tribostimulated exoelectron emission. Emphasis was placed on tribostimulated emission from uniaxially deformed oxide-covered metals (aluminium, titanium and nickel). Experiments were performed in either ultra-high vacuum or a controlled atmosphere using single-particle counting techniques. The emission of positive and negative ions as well as of photons during the propagation of fracture cracks in the oxide is reported for the first time.