A study of secondary electron emission from semiconductors and insulators

Abstract

No rude approximations were made in the course of deducing formula for B(χ, Eg) as a function of parameters of secondary electron emission SEE; where B(χ, Eg) is the probability that an internal secondary electron escapes into vacuum upon reaching the surface of semiconductors and insulators SI with width of forbidden band Eg and original electron affinity χ. It can be concluded that the formula for B(χ, Eg) as a function of parameters of SEE can be used to calculate B(χ, Eg). The B(χ, Eg) calculated with the formula for B(χ, Eg) as a function of parameters of SEE and characteristics of B(χ, Eg) and SEE from SI were studied, the formula for B(χ, Eg) of SI with Eg≥0.6 eV and χ≥0.5 eV as a function of χ and Eg was determined. It concludes that the determined formula can be used to calculate B(χ, Eg) of SI with Eg≥0.6 eV and χ≥0.5 eV. The processes and characteristics of SEE from SI, energy loss of primary electron and parameters of SEE were studied, the formulae for δm(Epom, χreal, Eg) in the general case and 1/α(χreal, Eg) of SI with Eg≥0.6 eV and χ≥0.5 eV were deduced and experimentally proved, respectively; where δm(Epom, χreal, Eg) is the maximum secondary electron yield δm of SI with Eg and χreal, Epom is primary incident energy corresponding to δm, χreal is real electron affinity,1/α(χreal, Eg) is mean escape depth of secondary electrons emitted from SI with Eg and χreal.