ON THE DETECTION OF ELEMENTAL LI ON AL-LI ALLOY SURFACES USING AUGER-ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY

We confirm that the KVV transition of elemental Li produces a line at 52 eV in the Auger electron spectrum of Al-Li alloys. This eliminates confusion present hitherto on the labelling of Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) Li spectral lines from Al-Li alloy surfaces. A simple procedure is presented for interpreting AES data in order to establish a lower limit on the surface Li concentration. The presence of the elemental Li line at 52 eV means that the Li concentration at the surface of these commercially important alloys can be studied using AES.