Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy for Extended Fine Structure Studies — an Introduction

Abstract

The spectroscopy of inelastically scattered fast electrons as a technique for structural and chemical studies of solids has been recognized since the pioneering work of Hillier and Baker.1 A determination of the change in momentum of the incident electron, or separate measurements of the loss in energy and the angle through which the electron is scattered, provides a description of the scattering dynamics which can be interpreted macroscopically as a function of the complex dielectric coefficient of the material, or microscopically in terms of the chemical composition and physical state of the sample. Superimposed on the ionization “edges”, which contain the significant chemical information in the spectrum, are fine structural features details around the ionization energy which reflect the density of states available to the ionized electron, and extended fine structure modulations after the edge. The spectrum thus contains a complete chemical, physical and electronic description of the sample.