Solving the charging effect in insulating materials probed by a variable monoenergy slow positron beam

Langmuir. 2011 Mar 15;27(6):3020-3. doi: 10.1021/la104660e. Epub 2011 Feb 18.

Abstract

A variable monoenergy slow positron beam (VMSPB) operating at a high vacuum on insulating materials encounters a problem of significant surface charging effect with time. As a result, positronium formation is inhibited, and the positron annihilation radiation counting rate is reduced; these consequently distorted the experimental positron annihilation and results. To solve such problems, a technique of depositing an ultrathin layer of sputtering noble metals on insulators is developed. We report a successful method of sputtering a few atomic layers of platinum (∼1 nm) on a polyamide membrane to completely remove the charging effect for VMSPB applications in insulators.