Secondary electron emission yield: graphite and some aromatic hydrocarbons

A recent analytical model for the secondary electron emission yield, 6, is successfully applied here to graphite and some aromatic hydrocarbons (xylene, anthracene, phenanthrene and biphenyl). In contrast to the use of conventional constant loss model, this model takes a more realistic account of the in-depth generation of the secondary electrons and permits a good description of the reduced yield curves, delta/delta((max)) versus E degrees/E degrees((max)), via a suitable choice of the most probable energy dissipation depth, z(C), of primary electrons in these low-density, low atomic-weight materials. Physical information on escape probability and on attenuation length of secondary electrons propagating in the investigated specimens is deduced from the good fit between calculated and experimental yield curves, delta = f (E degrees).