Calculations of Electron Inelastic Mean Free Paths III. Data for 15 Inorganic Compounds over the 50-2000 eV Range

Published

January 1, 1991

Author(s)

Shigeo Tanuma, Cedric J. Powell, David R. Penn

Abstract

We report calculations of electron inelastic mean free paths (IMFPs) of 50-2000 eV electrons in a group of 15 inorganic compounds (Al₂O₃, GaAs, GaP, InAs, InP, InSb, KCl, LiF, NaCl, PbS, PbTe, SiC, Si₃N₄, SiO₂, ZnS). As was found in similar calculations for a group of 27 elements, there are substantial differences in the shapes of the IMFP versus energy curves from compound to compound for energies below 200 eV; these differences are associated with teh different inelastic electron scattering characteristics of each material. Comparisons are made of the calculated IMFPs and the values calculated from predictive IMFP formula TPP-2 developed from the IMFP calculations for the elements. Deviations in this comparison are found, which correlated with uncertainties of the optical data from which the IMFPs were calculated. The TPP-2 IMFP formula is therefore believed to be a more reliable means for determining IMFPs for these compounds than the direct calculations.

Citation

Surface and Interface Analysis

Volume

17

Issue

13

Pub Type

Journals

Citation

Tanuma, S. , Powell, C. and Penn, D. (1991), Calculations of Electron Inelastic Mean Free Paths III. Data for 15 Inorganic Compounds over the 50-2000 eV Range, Surface and Interface Analysis (Accessed March 13, 2025)