Interaction between Solid Nitrogen and 1-3-keV Electrons

Experimental studies were made of the interaction between solid nitrogen and beams of 1-2-keV electrons. The projected range for the electrons was measured by means of the mirror-substrate method (gold substrate), giving the result 9.02×1016 E1.75 molecules/cm2 with the energy given in keV. The escape depth for secondary electrons was studied by means of the equivalent-substrate method (carbon substrate).

The results varied from 280 Å at 1 keV to 400 Å at 3 keV. Measurements were also made of the secondary-electron-emission coefficient, which varied from 2.3 el/el at 1 keV to 1.2 el/el at 3 keV. At 3 keV, the SEE coefficient is 12 times that for solid deuterium. This is attributed partly to the larger production rate for low-energy electrons in nitrogen and partly to the larger escape probability for these electrons.

Moreover, measurements were made of the electron-reflection coefficient, both for solid nitrogen and for the carbon substrate. For nitrogen, it varied from 0.17 el/el at 1 keV to 0.13 el/el at 3 keV, and for carbon it varied from 0.13 to 0.12. The observations are discussed and comparisons made with other theoretical and experimental results.

The agreement ranges from good to fair