Ne projectile 2${\mathit{p}}^4$3${\mathit{s}}^2$ autoionization electron emission has been studied for 700-eV ${\mathrm{Ne}}^{+}$ impact on Mg, Al, and Si surfaces. The Ne 2${\mathit{p}}^4$ ${}_{}{}^1{}_{}{}^{}$D to 2${\mathit{p}}^4$ ${}_{}{}^3{}_{}{}^{}$P conversion rate η has been found to decrease with the atomic number of the target element, to remain constant upon Cs deposition, and to undergo a nonmonotonic change with Na adatom coverage. We interpret the independence of η on the averaged surface work function within the framework of the recently proposed Auger rearrangement model and discuss the possibility of extracting the valence-charge distribution at the vacuum side of the alkali adatom site from the coverage dependence of η.

• Received 29 June 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.50.18525