Quantitative analysis of REELS spectra of ZrO2: Determination of the dielectric loss function and inelastic mean free paths

Analysis of Plasmon Loss Peaks of Oxides and Semiconductors with the Energy Loss Function

This paper highlights the use and applications of the energy loss function (ELF) for materials analysis by using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). The basic Drude-Lindhart theory of the ELF is briefly presented along with reference to reflection electron energy loss (REELS) data for several dielectric materials such as insulating high-k binary oxides and semiconductors. Those data and their use are critically discussed. A comparison is made to the available ab initio calculations of the ELF for these materials. Experimental, high-resolution TEM-EELS data on Si, SiC, and CeO2 obtained using a high-resolution, double-Cs-corrected transmission electron microscope are confronted to calculated spectra on the basis of the ELF theory. Values of plasmon energies of these three dielectric materials are quantitatively analyzed on the basis of the simple Drude's free electron theory. The effects of heavy ion irradiation on the TEM-EELS spectra of Si and SiC are addressed. In particular, the downward shifts of plasmon peaks induced by radiation damage and the subsequent amorphization of Si and SiC are discussed. TEM-EELS data of CeO2 are also analyzed with respect to the ELF data and with comparison to isostructural ZrO2 and PuO2 by using the same background and with reference to ab initio calculations.

Validity of the semi-classical approach for calculation of the surface excitation parameter

The problem of surface plasmon excitation by moving charges has been elaborated by several different approaches, mainly based on dielectric response theory within either semi-classical or quantum mechanical frameworks. In this work, a comparison of the surface excitation effect between two different frameworks is made by calculation of the differential inverse inelastic mean free path (DIIMFP) and a Monte Carlo simulation of reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) spectra. A semi-classical modeling of the interaction between electrons and a solid surface is based on analyzing the work done by moving electrons; the stopping power and inelastic cross section are derived with the induced potential. On the other hand, a quantum mechanical approach is based on derivation of the complex inhomogeneous self-energy of the electrons. The numerical calculation shows that the semi-classical model presents almost the same values of DIIMFP as by the quantum model except at the glancing condition. The simulation of REELS spectra for Ag and SiO(2) as well as a comparison with experimental spectra also confirms that a good agreement with the spectral shape is found among the two simulation results and the experimental data.

Characterization of the Electronic Structure and Optical Properties of Al2O3, ZrO2 and SrTiO3 from Analysis of Reflection Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy in the Valence Region

Characterization of thin surficial films of oxides has become the focus of increased interest due to their applications in microelectronics. The ability to experimentally determine the electronic structure and optical properties of oxide materials permits the direct study of the interband transitions from the valence to the conduction band states. In the past years there has been much progress in the quantitative analysis of transmission electron energy loss spectroscopy (TEELS) in the electron microscope

Here we employed reflection electron energy loss function (REELS) as well as vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectroscopy to determine the dielectric functions of oxide materials, i.e. Al2O3, ZrO2 and SrTiO3. The two main steps in the analysis are the removal of the effects of multiple scattering from the REELS spectra followed by application of the Kramers-Kronig dispersion transforms to the single scattering energy loss function to determine the conjugate optical variable and then the complex dielectric function. The surface and bulk plasma resonance spectra for these oxide materials have been determined from VUV and REELS, along with the influence of primary electron energy on the REELS results. The relative contribution of surface and bulk plasmon oscillation in REELS has been investigated. Comparison with VUV results and existing TEELS results indicate that Kramers-Kronig analysis can also be applied to REELS spectra and the corresponding conjugate optical properties can be obtained. Quantitative studies of the electronic structure and optical properties of thin surficial films using VUV and REELS or TEELS, represent a new avenue to determine the properties of these increasingly important films.