There are four main processes by which a high energy electron
(red here) can lose energy to an atom.
These are
- The excitation of a plasmon
- The excitation of a single electron from the valence
band (pale green)
- The excitation of an inner
shell electron (from the K or L shell)
- The excitation of a phonon
Three of these inelastic
scattering processes are shown in the simulation on
the right.
Try each type of excitation while watching each of the alternative
pictorial representations of the atomic structure of the
aluminium (single atom and atom in solid). Try the K shell
excitation several times and then make sure that you understand
the subsequent X-ray and Auger electron emission processes
which are shown on the next page