Effect of surface current on photoelectron emission from mica

Abstract

The relationship between photoelectron emission and the conduction mechanism on the surface of cleaved muscovite mica film was investigated; that is, under atmospheric conditions and subjected to UV irradiation, a low‐energy photoelectron counter measured the photothreshold energy of photoelectron emission from a surface treated by fast atom bombardment (FAB). Such emission was found to have a close relationship to the surface structure and surface conduction characteristics in that the photothreshold of the FAB‐treated mica surface varied from 5.0 to 5.8 eV, whereas no variation occurred in the untreated surface; the difference being attributed to different carriers of surface current. Results indicate that the surface states of mica play an important role in the electronic conduction of the surface, as well as the photoelectron emission from it. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 133(1): 1–10, 2000