The energy spectrum of electrons passing through film targets and some of its applications to electron beam engineering

The problem of analytical description of the energy spectrum of transmitted electrons was solved on the basis of the two-channel model of energy losses: inelastic scattering on valence electrons and inelastic scattering on core electrons of target atoms. Based on the correspondence between the velocity of probable energy losses of each channel and the well known Landau and Thomson-Widdington correlations, the generalized form of the energy losses law is presented which describes the most probable energy losses by kilovolt electrons in films with arbitrary thickness. A semiempirical approach taking into account the straggling of energy losses based on use of the universal function obtained was developed, which characterizes the inelastic discrete losses of each transmitted electron group with energy E. On the basis of these results the analytical description of the energy distribution of transmitted electrons is given for beryllium, aluminium, copper, silver and gold films and correlation is made between the calculated distribution and experimental spectra. Some possibilities of using the results obtained for application to electron probe methods are shown.