LOW-ENERGY INELASTIC ELECTRON-SCATTERING PROPERTIES OF NOBLE AND TRANSITION-METALS

Differential inelastic scattering cross sections K(E, T) for low energy electrons in noble and transition metals were investigated on the basis of dielectric response theory. The production function lambda (E) multiplied by (times) K(E, T) of the inelastic electron mean free path lambda (E) and K(E, T) was studied for primary electron energies in the E equals 250-2000 ev and loss energies in the T equals 0-50 ev energy range. It was found that for noble and transition metals A(E, T) equals lambda (E) multiplied by (times) K(E, T) is a weak function of both the primary electron energy and the particular metal. Thus the universal function A(T) equals B multiplied by (times) T/(C plus T**2)**2 with B equals 2866 ev**2 and C equals 1643 ev**2 gives a fair description of the properties found for all metals studied. Detailed features in lambda (E)K(E, T) are not reproduced by A(T). In spite of this, A(T) is a good approximation to lambda (E)K(E, T) in the description of many physical systems. These were pointed out and discussed.