Desorption of potassium atoms stimulated by electron radiation of the K/K$_{x}$Au$_{y}$ system

Electron-stimulated desorption of K atoms from the surface of potassium atoms on K/K$_{x}$Au$_{y}$ was discovered. A K/K$_{x}$Au$_{y}$ layer on a tungsten substrate with a gold film deposited on it with a thickness of not more than 5 atomic layers of gold. A quasi-resonant dependence on the energy of the exciting electrons of the electron-stimulated desorption was found. The quasi-resonance dependence is due to the excitation of core levels of Au 5$_{p_{3/2}}$ and Au 5$_{p_{1/2}}$. A model of electron-stimulated desorption of K atoms in the K/KxAuy system is proposed that adequately describes the processes that occur during electron-stimulated desorption of potassium atoms. The processes of electron-stimulated desorption excitation of potassium atoms occur at the K/K$_{x}$Au$_{y}$ interface.