Enhanced secondary electron yield from oxidized regions on amorphous carbon films studied by x-ray spectromicroscopy

Photoemission electron spectromicroscopy with synchrotron radiation has bee n used to study the correlation between the chemical surface composition an d secondary electron yield from the surface of amorphous carbon films. Regi ons of about 4 mu m diam were found which exhibited up to ten times higher secondary electron emission than the rest of the film. Near edge x-ray abso rption fine structure spectroscopy of these regions showed that they contai ned highly oxidized carbon in the form of carboxylic and carbonate groups. These observations might be linked to the field emission properties of thes e films. (C) 1999 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-2101(99)02605-6].