Study of the electronic spectra of noble metals by low-energy electron backscattering

The density of filled electronic states of noble metals (Au, Ag, Cu) below the Fermi level is studied by low-energy electron backscattering spectrosco py (0-10 eV) by using a specially designed hypocycloidal electron spectrome ter capable of high energy (less than or equal to 50 meV) and angular (simi lar to1 degrees -5 degrees) resolution. The features observed in the electr on scattering spectra are established to agree well with the extrema of the theoretically calculated density-of-states distributions. The results obta ined amplify substantially the information provided by UV and x-ray photoel ectron spectroscopy. (C) 2001 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".