DETERMINATION OF THE INELASTIC MEAN FREE PATHS OF ELECTRONS IN COPPERAND COPPER OXIDES BY ELASTIC PEAK ELECTRON-SPECTROSCOPY (EPES)

Theoretical values of the inelastic mean free path (IMFP) and their el ectron-energy dependence are available in the literature from predicti ve formulae far various categories of materials, such as elemental sol ids, inorganic and organic compounds. in contrast, the experimental IM FP values mere determined for a more limited number of material, This refers especially to multicomponent solids. We have measured the IMFP dependence on energy for Cu and two copper oxides, CuO and Cu2O, using elastic peak electron spectroscopy. The experiment consisted of measu ring the backscattering probabilities for the investigated materials a nd an Ni standard in the energy range 400-1600 eV. The IMFP values wer e determined using a theoretical model describing the phenomenon of el astic backscattering. The IMFP values determined in this work are in r easonable agreement with experimental and theoretical values published in the literature. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.