Detailed Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) Microanalysis of Data Collected Under Semi-Angle Less Than Both Plasmon Cutoff Angle and Incident Beam Convergence Semi-Angle

Abstract

In previous work a different and powerful, analytical, technique was used to get data, such as the absolute atom concentration (AAC), specimen thickness etc., from public domain boron nitride EELS spectrum collected under a collection semi-angle, $\beta$, less than the plasmon cutoff angle, ${\theta }_c$, but large relative to incident beam convergence, $\alpha$. Here, seeking for some completeness, another, numerical, technique usable together with, also, $\beta <{\theta }_c$ is described in minute detail and applied to data obtained with $\beta /\alpha <2$, so necessitating incident beam convergence-related corrections. A lot of experimental physical parameters all fully relevant to one another are produced from a single EELS spectrum. Of public domain silicon nitride, Si${}_3$N${}_4$, EELS spectrum used. Comparison between results producible by the two $\beta <{\theta }_c$-related techniques made. Results range from parameters such as AAC, density, plasmon critical vector, plasmon dispersion coefficient, Fermi energy to specimen thickness. Results were obtained using version 5 of eelsMicr program and compared with existing results obtained using non EELS techniques.

18 pages, 1 figure