Laser light-stimulated exoelectron emission from solid Ar pre-irradiated by an electron beam

Spatially separated stable charge centers, self-trapped holes and trapped electrons, were generated in Ar cryocrystals by a low-energy electron beam. A combination of the cathodoluminescence (CL) and photon-stimulated exoelectron emission (PSEE) methods was used to monitor center formation and a selected relaxation channel-exoelectron emission. It was found that photon-promoted electron current decreased exponentially under irradiation with the laser operating in the visible range. The influence of the laser parameters (power and wavelength) on the characteristic lifetime of exoelectron emission is discussed. Effective bleaching of the low-temperature peaks of thermally stimulated exoelectron emission by the laser light in a visible range is observed. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics