Auger stimulated ion desorption of negative ions via K-capture radioactivedecay - art. no. 037601

We report an Auger stimulated ion desorption via Coulomb explosion from sur face self-assembled alkylthiol and fluorocarbon molecular layers, triggered by K-capture decay of an imbedded radioactive Fe-55 atom. The charge state of the ejects is determined by charge exchange in binary atomic collisions in bulk and electron tunneling outside the solid, as well as by fragmentat ion of electronically excited molecules or molecular fragments. We describe the first nonbeam experiments documenting positive and abundant negative i on desorption due solely to core electron excitation after radioactive deca y.