Detailed Monte Carlo simulation of electron transport and electron energy loss spectra

Abstract

A computer program for detailed Monte Carlo simulation of the transport of electrons with kinetic energies in the range between about 0.1 and about 500 keV in bulk materials and in thin solid films is presented. Elastic scattering is described from differential cross sections calculated by the relativistic (Dirac) partial‐wave expansion method with different models of the scattering potential. Inelastic interactions are simulated from an optical‐data model based on an empirical optical oscillator strength that combines optical functions of the solid with atomic photoelectric data. The generalized oscillator strength is built from the adopted optical oscillator strength by using an extension algorithm derived from Lindhard's dielectric function for a free‐electron gas. It is shown that simulated backscattering fractions of electron beams from bulk (semi‐infinite) specimens are in good agreement with experimental data for beam energies from 0.1 keV up to about 100 keV. Simulations also yield transmitted and backscattered fractions of electron beams on thin solid films that agree closely with measurements for different film thicknesses and incidence angles. Simulated most probable deflection angles and depth‐dose distributions also agree satisfactorily with measurements. Finally, electron energy loss spectra of several elemental solids are simulated and the effects of the beam energy and the foil thickness on the signal to background and signal to noise ratios are investigated.