CASINO: A new monte carlo code in C language for electron beam interaction —part I: Description of the program

TLDR

CASINO is an ANSI‑standard C program that implements a single‑scattering Monte Carlo simulation of electron trajectories in solids, tailored for low‑beam interactions in bulk and thin foils. The program runs on DOS or UNIX, uses tabulated Mott elastic cross sections and experimental stopping powers, employs function pointers for extensible physical models, and can generate SEM signals (x‑rays, secondary, backscattered) as point, line, or image data over 0.1–30 kV. An example application shows that a 20 nm Guinier‑Preston Mg₂Si inclusion in a light aluminum matrix can be theoretically imaged with a microchannel backscattered detector at 5 keV using a 5 nm beam spot.

Abstract

Abstract This paper is a guide to the ANSI standard C code of CASINO program which is a single scattering Monte CArlo SImulation of electroN trajectory in sOlid specially designed for low‐beam interaction in a bulk and thin foil. CASINO can be used either on a DOS‐based PC or on a UNIX‐based workstation. This program uses tabulated Mott elastic cross sections and experimentally determined stopping powers. Function pointers are used for the most essential routine so that different physical models can easily be implemented. CASINO can be used to generate all of the recorded signals (x‐rays, secondary, and backscattered) in a scanning electron microscope either as a point analysis, as a linescan, or as an image format, for all the accelerated voltages (0.1–30 kV). As an example of application, it was found that a 20 nm Guinier‐Preston Mg 2 Si in a light aluminum matrix can, theoretically, be imaged with a microchannel backscattered detector at 5 keV with a beam spot size of 5 nm.