Multiple scattering of primary electrons in crystalline solids: Numerical calculations for Pt/Cu(111) and Cu/Pt(111) systems

The multiple scattering formalism used to describe the primary electron beam scattering events in crystalline solids results in theoretical distributions of elastically backscattered electrons and Auger electrons. In calculations different locations of the monolayer and the resulting intensity distributions are shown. The theoretical formalism concerns the final form of the wave field in a solid and the interference of the primary plane and the scattered spherical electron waves. The explicit form of the wave function at the emitter site, the formula used to calculate the signal of elastically backscattered electrons and Auger electrons as well as parameters involved in simulations are discussed. The results of numerical calculations presented as stereographic distributions reveal characteristic intensity maxima and bands associated with crystalline directions and planes, respectively. The data are discussed in the context of the sample structure within the surface near region, scattering properties of individual atoms, lattice parameters, location of the layer as well as the sample chemical composition. Moreover, a detailed analysis of intensities associated with different atomic directions in the face centred cubic crystals, as well as averaged intensities of whole distributions are shown. The short range order structural information, which concerns the nearest and next nearest neighbours in a three dimensional unit cell, can be applied in the modelling of heterostructures and the calculation of signal distributions with the use of the multiple scattering approach. This can be helpful in the detailed analysis of intensity features observed experimentally.

Automated summary

The multiple scattering formalism is used to describe the scattering events of primary electron beams in crystalline solids, resulting in theoretical distributions of elastically backscattered electrons and Auger electrons. Numerical calculations reveal characteristic intensity maxima and bands associated with crystalline directions and planes. The effects of sample structure, atomic scattering properties, lattice parameters, layer location, and sample chemical composition are discussed. The short range order structural information can be applied in modeling heterostructures and calculating signal distributions.