PNNL

Abstract

We demonstrate that direct photoexcitation of the KBr surface exciton leads to desorption of hyperthermal neutral bromine atoms. We have for the first time produced separately the hyperthermal and the near-thermal components of neutral halogen emission from an alkali halide. The source of hyperthermal bromine emission is attributed to decay of a surface exciton excited at photon energies below that of the bulk exciton. We further demonstrate that the frequently observed near-thermal component is derived from excitation within the bulk crystal. Our experimental data provides strong support to a theoretical emission model previously described in the literature.