Bombardment-induced photon emission from GaAs as a function of target temperature

The results of experiments on bombardment-induced photon emission from a GaAs single crystal as a function of target temperature are described. The target temperature was varied in the range 200-5000C. The line emission from excited Ga atoms sputtered by argon ions of 8 keV energy was measured. The variation of the sputtering yield as a function of the target temperature does not affect the intensity of photon emission. One can assume that this effect indicates a two-particle mechanism of excitation that occurs at primary steps of the collision cascade inside the solid. The annealing of the surface layer as a factor that influences the sputtering process is also considered. The evolution of the simple cascade model and radiationless relaxation are proposed to explain the experimental data. (Auth.)