CMA (Cylindrical Mirror Analyzer)

In summary, a CMA is an instrument that is used to look at different eV levels of different wavelengths. It works off of photoemission, and is similar to the set up we are looking at. The advantage to this set up is that it has the capability of having a higher energy resolution.
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RaulTheUCSCSlug
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I'm supposed to be working with a CMA (Cylindrical Mirror Analyzer), but I'm more interested in the physics behind it. This is the instrument in question that we are looking to get:

http://www.rbdinstruments.com/products/micro-cma.html

We want it to look at different eV levels of different wavelengths and how it compares to the theoretical values we are looking to get. I know it works off of photoemission, but kind of confused how the readings work? I'm confused on how/why it works and there's nothing on Wikipedia that I can find on it to go off of. This is similar to the set up we are looking at:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/AES_Setup2.JPG/340px-AES_Setup2.JPG

Where the Ion source will be something like an electron gun, and the electron gun in the photo would be the microCMA.

What makes this set up different from say a spectrometer, or using a CCD camera or something else of the sort? What's the advantage here that I'm not seeing?
 
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  • #2
RaulTheUCSCSlug said:
I'm supposed to be working with a CMA (Cylindrical Mirror Analyzer), but I'm more interested in the physics behind it. This is the instrument in question that we are looking to get:

http://www.rbdinstruments.com/products/micro-cma.html

We want it to look at different eV levels of different wavelengths and how it compares to the theoretical values we are looking to get. I know it works off of photoemission, but kind of confused how the readings work? I'm confused on how/why it works and there's nothing on Wikipedia that I can find on it to go off of. This is similar to the set up we are looking at:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/AES_Setup2.JPG/340px-AES_Setup2.JPG

Where the Ion source will be something like an electron gun, and the electron gun in the photo would be the microCMA.

What makes this set up different from say a spectrometer, or using a CCD camera or something else of the sort? What's the advantage here that I'm not seeing?
Aren't you detecting electrons not photons? Certainly for Auger electron spectroscopy it's the electrons you detect, not the photon.
 
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RaulTheUCSCSlug said:
I'm supposed to be working with a CMA (Cylindrical Mirror Analyzer), but I'm more interested in the physics behind it. This is the instrument in question that we are looking to get:

http://www.rbdinstruments.com/products/micro-cma.html

We want it to look at different eV levels of different wavelengths and how it compares to the theoretical values we are looking to get. I know it works off of photoemission, but kind of confused how the readings work? I'm confused on how/why it works and there's nothing on Wikipedia that I can find on it to go off of. This is similar to the set up we are looking at:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/AES_Setup2.JPG/340px-AES_Setup2.JPG

Where the Ion source will be something like an electron gun, and the electron gun in the photo would be the microCMA.

What makes this set up different from say a spectrometer, or using a CCD camera or something else of the sort? What's the advantage here that I'm not seeing?

It is analogous to a spectrometer, or to be specific, electron spectrometer since it analyzes only electrons. However, it has the capability of having a higher energy resolution, and is able to change the range of energy of interest within its analyzer window.

All the analyzer does is look at the energy spectrum (although for spherical analyzer, both energy and momentum spectrum can be obtained) of the electrons. Where the electrons come from doesn't really matter, and that is where the material or source being studied comes into play.

I'm not sure if you are simply asking for a conceptual understanding of what it does, or if you are really looking for the nuts-and-bolts of how it works in detail (the latter you can easily do a search on).

Zz.
 
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Yes, my understanding was that it was like a spectrometer but wasn't sure what the advantage was.

I thought we were going to be looking at the diffraction grating, but you are correct. It's the Auger electrons we'll be looking at. I was looking more for a deeper understanding than conceptual on how a CMA works, can't find much from Google (well a couple things, but doesn't leave me satisfied). Although the Wiki page gave me a fairly clear understanding of the set up and cleared up some of the confusion, I'm still not sure what goes on in a CMA.

Is there a technical manual of one or a book to reference? Or would I be left to look at several concepts and piece the information together? Thanks btw.
 

1. What is a Cylindrical Mirror Analyzer (CMA)?

A Cylindrical Mirror Analyzer (CMA) is a scientific instrument that is used to analyze the energy and direction of charged particles in a vacuum. It consists of a cylindrical electrostatic mirror, which deflects the particles onto a detector, where their energy and direction can be measured.

2. How does a CMA work?

A CMA works by using an electric field to deflect charged particles onto a detector. The particles are first accelerated towards the mirror by an electric field, and then the cylindrical mirror deflects them onto the detector. The angle at which the particles are deflected is dependent on their energy, allowing for energy analysis.

3. What are the advantages of using a CMA?

There are several advantages to using a CMA for particle analysis. Firstly, it has a large energy range, allowing for the detection of particles with a wide range of energies. Additionally, it has a high energy resolution, meaning it can distinguish between particles with very similar energies. It is also a non-destructive technique, meaning the particles being analyzed are not altered or destroyed during the process.

4. What types of particles can be analyzed with a CMA?

A CMA is primarily used for analyzing charged particles, such as electrons and ions. However, it can also be used for analyzing neutral particles if they are first ionized or if they interact with a material to produce charged particles.

5. What are some common applications of a CMA?

CMA's are commonly used in a variety of fields, such as materials science, surface science, and plasma physics. They are also commonly used in particle accelerators and nuclear research to analyze and characterize particles. CMA's are also used in space exploration to analyze particles in the solar wind and other space environments.

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