Characteristics of ion-excited silicon L-shell Auger spectra

Ion-excited Auger electron emission from silicon has been investigated for 2 to 30 keV noble gas ion bombardment. It was found that Si L shell excitation is mostly due to symmetric SiSi collisions. The Auger spectrum is characterized by several relatively narrow (but Doppler broadened) L2, 3MN lines originating from sputtered atoms and a broad bulk-like L2, 3VV line. Comparison between the L2, 3VV line and the electron-excited L2, 3VV line indicates that the density and/or the population of states in a collision cascade is markedly different from the unperturbed case. © 1979.