Surface temperature effects on the dynamics of H- low energy electron stimulated desorption from diamond films

In this work, we report on the influence of surface temperature on low energy H- electron stimulated desorption (ESD) occurring via dissociative electron attachment (DEA) from hydrogenated diamond films. By measuring the H- kinetic energy distribution (KED) induced by electron bombardment in the 7-18 eV range for surface temperatures ranging between 100 and 450 K we investigate the dynamics of the desorption process. It is determined that the H- ion yield continuously decreases with increasing temperature and that the most probable H- kinetic energy shifts to lower energies. It is proposed that the effect of temperature on the H- KED and consequently on the reduction in ion yield is due to an increase in the energy relaxation cross-section of the anion resonance and energy losses of the outgoing H- ion through interactions with the solid's multi-phonon back.-round and collisions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.