The Open Surface Science Journal

2009, 1 : 46-49
Published online 2009 September 10. DOI: 10.2174/1876531900901010046
Publisher ID: TOSURSJ-1-46

Reversible Ion Induced Modification of Consequent Secondary Electron Emission in Porous Silicon

G. D. Ruano , J. Ferron and R. R. Koropecki
INTEC, CONICET – UNL Güemes 3450 – 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina.

ABSTRACT

We report measurements of secondary electron emission (SEE) induced by electron and ion bombardment on porous silicon (PS). We found that electron induced emission is strongly reduced by ion bombardment, and that this reduction is reversible. The reduction effect is large even for ion fluxes much lower compared to that of the electron beam. We attribute this effect to changes in the charge distribution of the surface dipole originated in the difference between ion and electron charge deposition depths. The nanostructure of PS plays an important role in this effect as well as in the reversibility of the process. We think that this effect could be useful in the dynamic centering and monitoring of ion and electron beams in electron spectroscopy.