Monte Carlo Simulation of Energy Reemission by a Gold Nanoparticle under Photon Irradiation

Abstract

A detailed Monte Carlo simulation of energy reemission processes upon irradiation of gold 2-14 nm nanoparticles by photons with energies near the 2s, 2p1/2, and 2p3/2 ionization thresholds is performed. The spectra of secondary electrons and photons emitted by the nanoparticle after photoionization of one of its atoms are calculated. At an incident photon energy of 12.0 to 14.5 keV, a nanoparticle with a diameter of 10 nm emits 5.0-6.9 electrons whose energies are sufficient for ionizing or exciting water molecules surrounding the nanoparticle. The number of such electrons slowly decreases with increasing nanoparticle diameter; simultaneously, the number of low-energy electrons emitted by the nanoparticle increases