Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) is a technique used to study the electronic structure of materials. It is a non-destructive method that provides information about the chemical composition and bonding of a sample. In this article, we will define and explain the meaning of Auger electron spectroscopy, its origin, and its associations.
Definitions
Auger electron spectroscopy is a surface analysis technique that uses the Auger effect to generate electrons from a sample. The Auger effect is a process where an electron is ejected from an atom, and the energy released is used to eject another electron from the same atom. The ejected electron is called an Auger electron and has a characteristic energy that is related to the chemical element from which it originated.
Auger electron spectroscopy measures the kinetic energy of these Auger electrons to determine the elemental composition and chemical state of the surface of a sample. It can detect elements from hydrogen to uranium and is sensitive to the first few atomic layers of a sample.
Origin
The Auger effect was discovered by French physicist Pierre Auger in 1925. He observed that when X-rays were absorbed by a metal, the energy released could eject an electron from an inner shell of an atom. This electron was then replaced by an outer shell electron, and the energy released in this process could eject another electron from the same atom. This cascade of events is now known as the Auger effect.
The use of the Auger effect for surface analysis was first proposed by David Briggs and Tony Seah in 1965. They suggested that the kinetic energy of Auger electrons could be used to determine the chemical composition of a sample.
Meaning in different dictionaries
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Auger electron spectroscopy is “a method of analyzing the surface of a solid by detecting and measuring the energy of Auger electrons emitted from the surface.”
The Oxford English Dictionary defines Auger electron spectroscopy as “a technique for analyzing the surface of a solid by measuring the kinetic energy of Auger electrons emitted from the surface.”
Associations
Auger electron spectroscopy is commonly used in materials science, chemistry, and physics to study the surface properties of materials. It is used to analyze the composition of thin films, coatings, and surfaces of materials such as metals, semiconductors, and polymers.
Auger electron spectroscopy is often used in conjunction with other surface analysis techniques such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Synonyms
Auger electron spectroscopy is also known as Auger spectroscopy, Auger electron emission spectroscopy (AEES), and Auger electron microscopy (AEM).
Antonyms
There are no direct antonyms for Auger electron spectroscopy. However, other surface analysis techniques such as secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) can provide complementary information to AES.
The same root words
The term Auger electron spectroscopy is named after Pierre Auger, the French physicist who discovered the Auger effect. The word “electron” refers to the negatively charged subatomic particle, and “spectroscopy” refers to the study of the interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiation.
Example Sentences
- Auger electron spectroscopy is a powerful technique for analyzing the surface chemistry of materials.
- The Auger effect is a fundamental process in physics that is used in Auger electron spectroscopy.
- Auger electron spectroscopy can detect trace amounts of impurities on the surface of a material.
- Auger electron spectroscopy is often used in conjunction with other surface analysis techniques to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a sample.
- The kinetic energy of Auger electrons in Auger electron spectroscopy is proportional to the atomic number of the element from which they originated.