Magnetic diagnostics of plasma - Surface interactions

The secondary electron emission (SEE) from solids plays an important role in plasma, accelerator and high power microwave applications^1,2. A recent study proposed that the SEE yield, which is ratio of secondary to primary electron fluxes, approaches unity in the limit of zero energy of incident electron ^3,4. If this were indeed the case, this effect would have profound implications especially for plasma applications, including, for example, plasma thrusters for spacecraft propulsion⁵ and electric probes⁶. It appears that, the proposed high SEE at low electron energies contradicts to numerous previous experimental studies of the secondary electron emission.