Depth profiles of the Doppler-broadening S parameter for polymers obtained with two measuring patterns: The role of accumulated charges

• Depth profiles of S parameter for polymers were obtained with two patterns.
• Charges induced by high energy incident positrons can influenced the depth profile.
• Depth profiles obtained with energy increase pattern can give real characteristics.

Depth profiles of Doppler broadening S parameter for oxygen containing polymer polycarbonate (PC), fluoropolymer poly (tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) and chlorine containing polymer polyvinylchloride-unplasticized (UPVC) were obtained with two measuring patterns, i.e. energy increase pattern and energy decrease pattern. The two curves can’t coincide with each other for that a trough appeared between 1 and 5 keV in the curve obtained with energy decrease pattern. It was found that charges induced by high energy incident positrons greatly influenced the annihilation of low energy incident positrons, while charges induced by low energy incident positrons showed little influence on the annihilation of high energy incident positrons. With energy increase measuring pattern, charges induced by low energy incident positrons showed little influence on the annihilation of later incident high energy positrons, thus the measurement can give the depth profile of S parameter in polymer as it was.