Optically stimulated desorption of "hot" excimers from pre-irradiated Ar solids

Abstract

Electronically induced desorption from solid Ar pre-irradiated by a low-energy electron beam is investigated by activation spectroscopy methods -photon-stimulated exoelectron emission and photon-stimulated luminescence in combination with spectrally resolved measurements in the VUV range of the spectrum. Desorption of vibrationally excited argon molecules Ar2*() from the surface of pre-irradiated solid Ar is observed for the first time. It is shown that desorption of "hot" Ar2*() molecules is caused by recombination of self-trapped holes with electrons released from traps by visible-range photons. The possibility of optical stimulation of the phenomenon is evidenced. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.