Elastic and inelastic contributions to the auger electron appearance potential spectrum of titanium

The energy distribution of electrons contributing to the L-shell Auger electron appearance potential spectrum of a polycrystalline titanium surface has been measured. The Auger electron appearance potential spectrum is obtained by differentiating the total secondary electron yield of an electron bombarded sample as a function of incident electron energy. At the threshold for scattering from a core level the secondary yield increases. Most of the electrons contributing to this increase have energies below 30 eV, and result from secondary processes following Auger recombination of the core hole. The elastic yield decreases at the threshold, however, due to opening a new channel for inelastic scattering. A comparison of the elastic yield spectrum (DAPS), the total yield spectrum (AEAPS) and the soft X-ray yield spectrum (SXAPS), shows very similar line shapes, but differences in the relative strengths of the lines.