Mean free paths for inelastic electron scattering in silicon and poly(styrene) nanospheres

T. M. Chou, M. Libera

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

The mean free paths for inelastic electron scattering, λin, in silicon [Si] and poly(styrene) [PS] have been measured using off-axis electron holography in a field-emission transmission electron microscope (FEG TEM). The holographic imaging method determines both quantitative wave phase information as well as elastic energy-filtered wave amplitude information. Using the energy-filtered amplitude data, two-dimensional t/λin images are reconstructed. The present work uses spherical nanoparticles as samples, so the sample thickness at any point in a two-dimensional image can be calculated knowing the center and radius of the projected nanosphere. The thickness contribution to t/λin is removed to obtain quantitative λin values. This work finds values of λiSi=53.8±5.5 and 88.6±6.9nm, and λiPS=78.1±3.4 and 113.0±5.9nm for 120 and 200keV incident electron energies, respectively.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)31-35
Number of pages5
JournalUltramicroscopy
Volume94
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2003

Keywords

  • EELS
  • Electron energy-loss spectroscopy
  • Electron holography
  • Inelastic scattering
  • Mean free path
  • Transmission electron microscope

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