Secondary electron ejection from metal surfaces by metastable atoms. II. Measurements of secondary emission coefficients using a gas cell method

Abstract

For pt. I see ibid., vol.4, 1683 (1971). Secondary electron emission coefficients for thermal energy He(21S), He(23S), Ne(3P0.2) and Ar(3P0.2) metastable atoms incident on a gold surface have been measured using an improved gas cell absorption method. The coefficients for the same metastable species incident on chemically cleaned stainless steel and copper surfaces and on atomically clean cadmium and tungsten surfaces have been determined by calibration against the gold surface. The results indicate that rather larger coefficients than those used hitherto should be used for gold surfaces. The implications of the results presented for the measurement of metastable fluxes are examined.