AES - AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY

MAISELA MM

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA

27380972

23 AUGUST 2010

......................................................................................................................................................

1.

The Auger Process was discovered by Pierre Auger in 1923 while irradiating samples
with X-rays. KLL Auger process occurs initially by ejecting the K-level electron by a
primary electron beam, the L-level electron then drops into the vacancy, and then another
L-level electron be ejected and that electron is called Auger electron and its energy
content is unique to the atom where it came from. The energy range of the Auger electron
is between 10 and 2000 eV and it is able to escape from the sample without losing too
o
much energy at the depth range between 5 and 50 A .

Figure 1: Removal of an electron in the K-Shell [1]

 In figure 1 above atom is ionized by removing a core electron (electron in the K-
shell).The electron in the upper level drops down to fill the vacancy created. The energy
released then causes an emission of an Auger electron. The atom is then now left with
two vacancies.

An emitted electron called Auger electron has a kinetic energy given by

E kin = E s − E X − EY

The equation seems to be ignoring the energy absorbed by the atom and the one lost
during the process. The formula is then the approximation of the kinetic energy of the
Auger electron. It gives good results when those energies are very small.

2.

Three steps involved in Auger process

a) An excitation of an atom that cause the emission of an electron

b) Electron drops down to fill the vacancy created as described in 1
c) The energy released in 2 causes an emission of an Auger electron.
Since the Auger process requires three electrons K, L1, and L2,3 electrons, Hydrogen or
Helium cannot be detected by AES since they have less than three electrons. Auger
Electron Spectroscopy can detect all other elements from Li through Uranium.
3.

The Auger electron spectroscopy was carried out in Ultra High Vacuum conditions, less
than 5 x 10-9torr because of the low energy of the Auger electrons. The Auger process
begins with the removal of electron from an inner shell o f an atom to create a vacancy,
the resultant vacancy can either be filled by X-ray or Auger process. The energy of the
Auger electron was then used to identify the elements, it can identify of elements from
Lithium through Uranium.
 Figure 1: Experimental Setup[2]

On the sample, the focused electrons are incident. The emitted electrons are deflected into a
cylindrical mirror analyzer. Auger electrons multiplication takes place in the detection area
and the signal sent to data acquisition electronics.

In summary the most important components of an Auger Electron Spectroscopy spectrometer

are
• UHV environment – used to prevent the surface to be contaminated during data
acquisition and because of the low energy of the Auger electrons
• Electron gun – used to generates the primary electron beam.
• Electron energy analyzer – used to measures the number of ejected electrons as a
function of the electron energies.
• Electron detector - is to detect Auger electrons originating from the specimen

Three steps involved in Auger process

a) An excitation of an atom that cause the emission of an electron

b) Electron drops down to fill the vacancy created as described in 1
c) The energy released in 2 causes an emission of an Auger electron.
 Figure 2: Auger process [2]

4. The two samples analysed were Copper and Gallium Arsenide. The Auger process must
be performed under UHV environment to prevent the surface to be contaminated during
data acquisition.

5. We differentiate the spectra

• To remove the background curve

• To clearly see where the peaks appears

• To remove noise
6.

Copper
1
a = ( M /100 ρ N A ) 3

(
= 63.54 /1000 ( 8.94 ×103 ) ( 6.023 × 1023 ) ) 3

= 2.28 × 10−10 m
= 0.228 nm

538 3 1
λM = 2
a + 0.41a 2 E 2
E
538 3 1
= ( 0.228 ) + 0.41 ( 0.228 ) 2 ( 940 ) 2
( 940 )
2

= 1.37 nm
0
=13.7 A

Gallium
1
a = ( M /100 ρ N A ) 3

(
= 69.72 /1000 ( 5.90 × 10 3
) ( 6.023 ×10 ) )
23 3

= 2.70 ×10−10 m
= 0.27 nm

538 3 1
λM = 2
a + 0.41a 2 E 2
E
538 3 1
= ( 0.270 ) + 0.41 ( 0.270 ) 2 ( 1090 ) 2
( 1090 )
2

= 1.90 nm
0
=19.0 A

Arsenic
 1
a = ( M /100 ρ N A ) 3

(
= 74.922 ×10−3 /1000 ( 5.73 ×103 ) ( 6.023 ×1023 ) )
1
3

= 2.79 ×10−10 m
= 0.279 nm

538 3 1
λM = 2
a + 0.41a 2 E 2
E
538
2 (
0.279 ) + 0.41( 0.279 ) 2 ( 1240 ) 2
3 1
=
( 1240 )
= 2.127 nm
0
=21.27 A

Gallium Arsenide
1
a = ( M /100 ρ N A ) 3

(
= 144.642 /1000 ( 5.32 ×103 ) ( 6.023 ×1023 ) )
1
3

= 3.56 × 10−10 m
= 0.356 nm

538 3 1
λM = 2
a + 0.41a 2 E 2
E
538
2 (
0.356 ) + 0.41( 0.356 ) 2 ( 1065 ) 2
3 1
=
( 1065 )
= 2.84 nm
0
=28.4 A

The inelastic mean free path of Auger electrons in copper and Gallium Arsenide is
ensuring the surface sensitivity of the Auger Electron Spectroscopy. The short inelastic
mean free path (IMFP) of Auger electrons in copper and Gallium Arsenide are 13.7 and
0 0
28.4 A respectively. They are in the correct range since they are between 5 and 50 A .
The peak energy is also in the correct range since the values are between 10 and 200 eV.
3 1
538
The energy E of the equation λM = 2
a + 0.41a 2 E 2 , if known, it may be used to
E
identify an element.

REFERENCES
[1]Amtek: XRF. < http://www.amptek.com/xrf.html> [Accessed 29 August 2010]

[2] Wikipedia: Auger electron spectroscopy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auger_electron_spectroscopy> [Accessed 29 August 2010]

[3] UKSAF: Auger Electron Spectroscopy<http://www.uksaf.org/tech/aes.html>

[Accessed 29 August 2010]

[4]Metapress: AES. <http://resources.metapress.com/pdf-preview.axd?

code=t250737740631w8u&size=largest> [Accessed 29 August 2010]

[5]Physical Electronics: AES <http://www.phi.com/surface-analysis.html> [Accessed 29

August 2010]

[5] Silicon Fareast: AES< http://www.siliconfareast.com/augeranalysis.htm> [Accessed

29 August 2010]