Positron annihilation on the surfaces of single crystals of Si, SiO2, graphite and Cu

Slow positron beam technique has been applied to measure the Doppler broadening spectra for single crystals of Cu, SiO2, graphite, virgin Si, and Si without oxide film. The results show that the Cu ratio curve shows a high peak due to Cu having 10 electrons in the 3d shells. The ratio curve of SiO2 is higher than that of graphite. For the single crystal of Cu, SiO2, graphite, and Si without oxide film, the S (W) parameters decrease (increase) as positron implantation energy increasing. Defects on the surface lead to higher S (lower W) value. For the virgin Si and the thermally grown SiO2-Si samples, the S (W) parameters increase (decrease) as positron implantation energy increasing. It can be due to Si atom at surface, with two dangling bonds, tend to form silicon oxide with O. The W parameter for the single crystal of Cu is relatively high as compared with that of the single crystals of SiO2 and graphite.