The Inelastic Scattering of Slow Electrons From a Silver Single Crystal

Abstract

The energy distribution of electrons inelastically scattered from a (111) face of a silver single crystal has been studied by the method of magnetic deflection. At about 45° incidence primary electrons are regularly reflected into the analyzer, and diffraction beams are observed at primary energies of 7.7, 23.2, and 83.2 ev. The structure in the energy distribution shows two discrete loss peaks at 3.9 and 7.3 ev, respectively, in general agreement with that found by Rudberg for polycrystalline silver. However, the relative intensities of the two discrete loss peaks depend on both the primary voltage and the target angle in the neighborhood of the diffraction beams, while Rudberg has found that for polycrystalline targets the peaks are independent of these variables. The energy distribution curves are also distorted by an extra inelastic scattering which accompanies the elastic scattering of the diffraction beams, and which extends down to an energy loss of 10 to 15 ev. Thus, maxima are observed in the curves giving the amount of inelastic scattering as a function of the primary energy for the constant values of energy loss. The maxima occur at secondary energies equal to the critical voltages of the diffraction beams. This indicates the existence of a double process consisting of inelastic scattering of the incident electrons followed by diffraction of the scattered electrons by the crystal lattice.