AFM studies of electron-stimulated desorption process of KBr(001) surface

Electron stimulated desorption of the KBr(001) surface due to 1 keV electro n bombardment was investigated in an ultra-high vacuum by means of non-cont act atomic force microscopy. Characteristic structures like rectangular bor es of monolayer depth and small agglomerations of atoms were observed. The dependence of the structure size and density was measured as a function of the electron dose. Analysis of the experimental data indicates that the pro cess of desorption occurs in a layer-by-layer mode and that the efficiency of the process was influenced by the surface topography. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.