Diffuse Rings Produced by Electron Scattering

Abstract

Two diffuse rings produced by electrons scattered from polished metal surfaces have been widely accepted as evidence that such surfaces are amorphous. Similar rings are, however, formed by electrons scattered from vaporized ZnS, and from unpolished surfaces of SiC and ${\mathrm{Cu}}_2$O, all of which are very probably crystalline. These experiments seem to vitiate the previous interpretation of these rings, although they cannot be construed as definite evidence against an amorphous layer on polished metals.