Inelastic Scattering and Beam Damage

Abstract

In the previous chapter, we discussed elastic scattering of the electron beam in which the incident electrons lost no energy as they traversed the specimen. Inelastically scattered (often termed energy-loss) electrons are equally important and we'll discuss many of these processes here, but leave the applications till later. Why are we interested in inelastic scattering? Well, such scattering generates a whole range of signals, each of which can tell us more about the chemistry of the specimen than we can find out from the elastic electrons. In addition to the energy-loss electrons themselves, the most important signals are the characteristic X-rays, secondary electrons, and, occasionally, visible light (cathodoluminescence (CL)) and so we'll emphasize how these arise.