Diffusion inelastique des electrons dans un solide par excitation de niveaux atomiques profonds

Abstract

Inelastic Scattering of Electrons in a Solid by Excitation of Deep Atomic Levels. I. Energy Loss Spectra The inelastic scattering of fast electrons caused by excitation of deep atomic electrons has been studied experimentally with an electron microscope equipped with a Castaing-Henry energy filter. In a first paper the contribution of these excitations to the energy loss spectrum has been considered and it is shown how the observed structures can be related to the density of states curves which possess a given symmetry. The similarity between energy loss and x-ray absorption measurements is emphasized. Moreover we have measured experimentally the angular distribution of electrons having suffered such a scattering process and the mean free path for the excitation of a, deep electron. These results can be interpreted in first approximation within a simple model of scattering by an isolated atom.