Photoelectron transport in the surface region of solids: universal analytical formalism for quantitative applications of electron spectroscopies

An advanced analytical theory describing electron transport in the surface region of solids may have accuracy comparable to Monte Carlo simulations of electron trajectories, however such an approach requires knowledge of a parameter called the single scattering albedo. This parameter is material dependent and can be calculated from the elastic mean free path and transport mean free path for signal electrons. An attempt is made to derive a simple expression that accurately describes the energy dependence of single scattering albedo in a wide energy range from 50 eV to 30 keV for 78 elemental solids. For these solids and the considered energy range, the mean percentage deviations between the reference values and values calculated from the fitted function were found to be generally well below 1%; the largest value of this deviation was equal to 0.86% (europium). Calculation of the single scattering albedo with high accuracy requires only five fitted coefficients for a given element. Recommendations are also given for calculations of this parameter for compounds. Different predictive formulas expressed in terms of the single scattering albedo are briefly discussed.