Elastic electron backscattering from gold

Abstract

Accurate algorithms, based on the partial-wave-expansion method, for calculating the relativistic- and nonrelativistic-elastic-scattering cross sections are developed. Considerable differences between both scattering cross sections are found for gold. It turns out that the elastic-scattering cross sections are weakly dependent on the scattering potential at sufficiently high energies (above 200--300 eV). All the cross sections are used in calculations of the characteristics of the elastically backscattered electrons from the gold surface, i.e., the angular distribution and the reflection coefficient. The theoretical predictions compare well with the available experimental data. There are indications that the relativistic model is in better agreement with the experimental observations.