Indirect X-ray photodesorption of 15N2 and 13CO from mixed and layered ices

TL;DR

This study investigates the mechanisms of X-ray induced photodesorption of $^{15}$N$_2$ and $^{13}$CO from mixed and layered ices, revealing an indirect electron-stimulated process driven by Auger electron scattering.

Contribution

It demonstrates that X-ray induced electron stimulated desorption (XESD) via Auger electrons is the dominant mechanism for photodesorption in these ices, with quantification of the relevant depth involved.

Findings

Photodesorption yields are independent of photon energy after correction.

Desorption is triggered by photo-absorption of specific molecules.

The relevant depth for desorption is 30-40 monolayers.

Abstract

X-ray photodesorption yields of $^{15}$N$_2$ and $^{13}$CO are derived as a function of the incident photon energy near the N ($\sim$400 eV) and O K-edge ($\sim$500 eV) for pure $^{15}$N$_2$ ice and mixed $^{13}$CO:$^{15}$N$_2$ ices. The photodesorption spectra from the mixed ices reveal an indirect desorption mechanism for which the desorption of $^{15}$N$_2$ and $^{13}$CO is triggered by the photo-absorption of respectively $^{13}$CO and $^{15}$N$_2$. This mechanism is confirmed by the X-ray photodesorption of $^{13}$CO from a layered $^{13}$CO/$^{15}$N$_2$ ice irradiated at 401 eV, on the N 1s$\rightarrow \pi^*$ transition of $^{15}$N$_2$. This latter experiment enables to quantify the relevant depth involved in the indirect desorption process, which is found to be 30 - 40 ML in that case. This value is further related to the energy transport of Auger electrons emitted from the photo-absorbing $^{15}$N$_2$ molecules that scatter towards the ice surface, inducing the desorption of $^{13}$CO. The photodesorption yields corrected from the energy that can participate to the desorption process (expressed in molecules desorbed by eV deposited) do not depend on the photon energy hence neither on the photo-absorbing molecule nor on its state after Auger decay. This demonstrates that X-ray induced electron stimulated desorption (XESD), mediated by Auger scattering, is the dominant process explaining the desorption of $^{15}$N$_2$ and $^{13}$CO from the ices studied in this work.