Thickness effect on secondary electron emission of MgO layers

Two series of MgO thin layers having various thicknesses were prepared on the Si substrate by electron-beam evaporation and by spin coating of MgO precursor solutions. We found that the magnitude of the secondary electron emission (SEE) yield of the MgO films strongly depends on the film thickness and the sample bias voltage. We ascribed it to the electric field through the insulating MgO layer, which allowed fast supply of electrons from the Si substrate to the surface. The mechanism of electron supply can be explained either as an acceleration through the MgO layer that becomes partially conductive upon primary electrons bombardment (radiation induced conductivity), or as a tunneling through the non-irradiated region of the insulating layer where the primary electrons cannot reach deeply into the sample with a certain penetration depth. The maximum SEE yield of the each MgO film on the Si substrate was observed when the penetration depth of primary electrons was close to the thickness of the MgO film, if the applied electric potential to the sample was low. Under a strong electric potential, the relationship between the penetration depth of primary electrons and the thickness of MgO films is not observed. It suggests the existence of the non-irradiated region, where electron supply is allowed by electron tunneling. Therefore, the magnitude of SEE yield for the thin insulating layer is strongly related to the detailed mechanism of electron supply, which is determined by the thickness of the insulating layer and the applied bias voltage to the sample during the SEE process.