Angular distribution of elastic electron backscattering from surfaces: Determination of the electron inelastic mean free path
Open accessAbstract
The development of analytical techniques based on measurements of electron elastic-backscattering probabilities stimulated an interest in the theoretical description of such phenomena. The most accurate and reliable theoretical models involve Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of electron trajectories in solids; however, this approach generally requires considerable computer effort. It has been shown that the performance of a modified analytical theory originally proposed by Oswald et al (1993 J. Electron Spectrosc. Relat. Phenom. 61 251 ), designated with the acronym OKGM, compares reasonably well with MC calculations. The MC data are usually underestimated by the OKGM model, and the mean percentage deviation, averaged over nine elements and five energies up to 5 keV, is equal to 8.8% for typical experimental configurations. However, the agreement between ratios of backscattering probabilities from MC simulations and the OKGM model agree much better due to the fact that underestimation of backscattering probability by the OMGM theory is partially cancelled. The percentage deviation between ratios from these theoretical models decreases to 3.14%. The OKGM model should then be useful for determining inelastic mean free paths (IMFPs) from measured elastic-peak intensities. The accuracy of the obtained IMFPs is comparable with IMFPs from MC simulations.
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A polytropic electron model based on a single coefficient γ cannot capture correctly the kinetic physics of unmagnetized plasma plume expansions and introduces errors even in macroscopic quantities such as the electric potential and the ion density, especially in the plume peripheral and backflow regions.
“It is therefore not surprising that a polytropic electron model based on a single coefficient γ cannot capture correctly the above physics and introduces errors even in macroscopic quantities such as the electric potential and the ion density, especially in the plume peripheral and backflow regions.”
From Plasma propulsion modeling with particle-based algorithms (2023) · cites this paper as [245]
Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 0 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 1 unverifiable, 1 not checked. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe perpendicular electron temperature shows a very quick decay, with a cooling rate that depends on the symmetry plane distance and that approaches (and even surpasses) the adiabatic limit for the considered planar expansion (with a limit at 2).
“Instead, the perpendicular electron temperature shows a very quick decay, with a cooling rate that now depends on the symmetry plane distance and that approaches (and even surpasses) the adiabatic limit for the considered planar expansion (with a limit at 2).”
From Plasma propulsion modeling with particle-based algorithms (2023) · cites this paper as [245]
Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 0 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 2 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe parallel electron temperature seems to be nearly constant (at least for the already charged-neutralized plume considered), with a corresponding cooling rate close to 1 and dimly dependent on the distance from the symmetry plane.
“The parallel electron temperature seems to be nearly constant (at least for the already charged-neutralized plume considered), with a corresponding cooling rate close to 1 and dimly dependent on the distance from the symmetry plane (in this case the plane y = 0).”
From Plasma propulsion modeling with particle-based algorithms (2023) · cites this paper as [245]
The Results and Discussion passages concern elastic electron backscattering from solid surfaces and inelastic mean free paths, not a charged-neutralized plume. Searches for parallel electron temperature, cooling rate, and distance from a symmetry plane found no passage addressing the claim; the supplied passages have no page numbers. (LLM, conf=0.78)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredRecent full PIC studies observed a clear anisotropy in the electron parallel and perpendicular temperatures of a planar plume expansion.
“Recent full PIC studies 243-245 , also observed a clear anisotropy in the electron parallel and perpendicular temperatures of a planar plume expansion.”
From Plasma propulsion modeling with particle-based algorithms (2023) · cites this paper as [245]
The Results section describes Monte Carlo simulations of electrons elastically backscattered from solid surfaces, not full PIC studies of a planar plume. Searches for electron-temperature anisotropy and plume expansion found no passage addressing parallel and perpendicular electron temperatures. No page number was available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.78)
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Research works printed but not linked: 32
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Plasma propulsion modeling with particle-based algorithms
Taccogna, F., Cichocki, F., Eremin, D., Fubiani, G., & Garrigues, L. (2023) · Journal of Applied Physics · doi:10.1063/5.0153862 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
- Authors
- Jablonski, A.
- Affiliations
- Institute of Physical Chemistry (PL)
- Corresponding author
- Jablonski, A
- ORCID
- Jablonski, A
- Venue
- Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics
- Publisher
- IOP Publishing
- Published
- 2013-12-31
- Volume
- 47
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 055301
- ISSN
- 0022-3727 (ISSN-L)
- 1361-6463
- OpenAlex
- W2014775972
- Cited by
- 19
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 0.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Physics D Applied Physics (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Surfaces, Coatings and Films › Electron and X-Ray Spectroscopy Techniques
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Computational Mechanics › Ion-surface interactions and analysis
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Radiation › X-ray Spectroscopy and Fluorescence Analysis
- Keywords
- inelastic mean free path, angular distributions, analytical theory, Monte Carlo simulation, electron-surface scattering
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