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X-Ray Synchrotron White Beam Excitation Of Auger Electrons, S. M. Durbin, L. E. Berman, B. W. Batterman, J. M. Blakely

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Auger electron spectra have been measured at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), using the full white beam x-ray spectrum as the excitation source. Ordinary Auger spectra obtained in the laboratory with an electron beam source must employ derivative techniques to distinguish the Auger structures from the large background due to the excitation beam. The synchrotron white beam eliminates this source of background and produces signal rates as high as 10⁷ cps. Superior signal-to-background ratios are found for Auger peaks above a few hundred eV, and count rates are large enough to suggest microprobe applications. X-ray induced Auger …