Addressing Coulomb's singularity, nanoparticle recoil and Johnson's noise

Abstract

Recent experiments prompt rethinking of the basics of elastic and inelastic electron scattering in electron microscopy. Standard approximations of elastic scattering largely based Bragg's law seem less clearly relevant when individual columns or even single atoms are probed. Phase shift analysis of atomic scattering can provide some checks and insights. The dielectric theory of aloof beam interactions is severely tested by observations of nanoparticle recoil but may be capable of explaining de-coherence effects induced by thermal fluctuations. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.