Low-energy photoelectron transmission through aerosol overlayers.

The transmission of low-energy (<1.8 eV) photoelectrons through the shell of core-shell aerosol particles is studied for liquid squalane, squalene, and di-ethyl-hexyl-sebacate shells. The photoelectrons are exclusively formed in the core of the particles by two-photon ionization. The total photoelectron yield recorded as a function of shell thicknesses (1-80 nm) shows a bi-exponential attenuation. For all substances, the damping parameter for shell thicknesses below 15 nm lies around 8 to 9 nm and is tentatively assigned to the electron attenuation length at electron kinetic energies of ≲1 eV. The significantly larger damping parameters for thick shells (>20 nm) are presumably a consequence of distorted core-shell structures. A first comparison of aerosol and traditional thin film overlayer methods is provided.