Electron spectroscopy of liquid mercury under impact of metastable He(23S) atoms

We have performed electron spectroscopy of a liquid mercury surface under impact of HeI photons and of metastable He(23 S) atoms. The latter data are interpreted in terms of Auger neutralization. This process involves two electrons from the metal surface and thereby yields information about the mutual interaction between two metal electrons. Evaluation of our data shows that the interaction is specific to the band from which the electrons come and whether they originate from the same or from different bands. Further, we find no support for the suggestion that a few per cent of the surface sites of liquid surface are occupied by nonmetallic mercury atoms.