Quantitative analysis of reflection electron energy loss spectra of aluminum

Abstract

Reflection electron energy loss spectra of aluminium were studied for primary energies in the 500–2000 eV and loss energies in the 0–80 eV range. The absolute intensity observed could be well explained by using an electron-gas model for the inelastic electron scattering cross section and by assuming that the distribution of the path lengths travelled in the solid is exponentially decreasing. The attenuation length in this distribution is found to be on the order of the transport mean free path for elastic electron scattering.