Light emission from small copper particles excited by current passage or by low-energy electron bombardment

The light emission from small Cu particles was investigated by passing elec trical current through them as well as during bombardment by low-energy ele ctrons (less than or equal to 400 eV). Measurements were performed in the s pectral range 1.18-6.2 eV. The shape of the spectra was dependent on the vo ltage applied to the tunnel-coupled small Cu particles. As the voltage incr eases, some features arise in the high-energy part of the spectra. For diff erent modes of particles' excitation spectra differ in peaks intensities, b ut their position on the energy scale remains constant. Thus, a conclusion can be drawn that the nature of the light emission obtained at various exci tation modes is caused by similar physical origins. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scien ce B.V. All rights reserved.