ELECTRON-ENERGY-LOSS SPECTROSCOPY ON THE SURFACE OF CONDUCTING SUPERLATTICES IN THE PRESENCE OF PLASMA-WAVES

We present calculations for the inelastic scattering of electrons by t he surface of binary conductor-conductor periodic superlattices descri bed by local and nonlocal models. The conducting layers consist of met als or highly doped semiconductors and we include their spatial disper sion through the presence of longitudinal plasmons described by a hydr odynamic model. These modes manifest themselves as a series of peaks i n the electron-energy-loss spectroscopy spectrum superimposed on the m ain structure due to the excitation of two coupled surface-plasmon ban ds. These peaks depend upon the nature of the first layer and are sens itive to the first few layers.