Spin-polarized metastable-atom deexcitation spectroscopy: A new probe of the dynamics of metastable-atom–surface interactions

Spin-labeling techniques, specifically the use of electron-spin-polarized metastable atoms coupled with spin analysis of the ejected electrons, are used to probe the dynamics of metastable atom-surface interactions. In particular,the data show that the electrons involved in Auger neutralization tend to have antiparallel spins and that secondary electrons can provide a significant contribution to the total ejected electron signal.