The electron-stimulated desorption (ESD) yields and energy distributions for Cs atoms from a cesium layer adsorbed on germanium monolayer-covered tungsten surfaces have been measured as a function of electron energy, cesium coverage E-e and substrate temperature. Cs is adsorbed at low temperature, 160 K. The measurements have been carried out using a time-of-flight method and surface ionization detector. The Cs atom appearance threshold is about 24 eV at Theta < 0. 1 ML which correlates well with the Cs 5s level excitation energy. The cesium atom appearance threshold shifts to about 30 eV at Theta > 0. 15 ML which can be associated with the Ge 3d level excitation energy; a resonantlike peak with a maximum at E, about 38 eV that can be associated with the W 5p(3/2) level excitation energy also appears. This peak is seen only at Theta < 0.3 ML and at a substrate temperature T < 300 K. A second resonantlike peak appears at 0 > 0.3 and at E, about 50 eV. A third resonantlike peak is observed at Theta > 0.5 ML, at E-e about 80 eV. The positions of these two peaks can be associated with W 5p(1/2) and W 5s level excitation energies, respectively. The intensities of all resonant features pass through maxima at Theta = 1 as the cesium coverage increases and are almost independent of the substrate temperature. The energy distribution for Cs atoms consists of a bell-shaped peak with a maximum at a kinetic energy of 0.55 eV at 0 < 0. 15 ML. It is transformed into a distribution containing two peaks at Theta > 0. 15: a wide one with a maximum at a kinetic energy of 0.5 eV and a narrow one with a maximum at a kinetic energy of 0.35 eV. The results are interpreted to arise from three ESD channels for Cs atoms associated with excitations of Cs, Ge, and W core levels, respectively. 0 2007 American Vacuum Society.