Surface Reviews and Letters  2 (1995) 43-61
SURFACE STUDIES BY CORE-EXCITATION
REFLECTION ELECTRON ENERGY LOSS SPECTROSCOPY
A. P. HITCHCOCK and T. TYLISZCZAK
Department of Chemistry and Institute for Materials Research,
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L85 4M1

Received 1 June 1994

Inelastic electron scattering in a reflection geometry is a useful alternative to synchrotron radiation X-ray absorption spectroscopy for inner-shell excitation studies of surfaces. This article reviews the current capabilities of reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy for core-excitation studies of the electronic and geometric structure of surfaces. Issues discussed include: momentum transfer dependence, comparison to X-ray techniques, orientational sensitivity, spatial and energy resolution, and technological applications. Examples of applications to clean surfaces, atomic and molecular adsorbates, and thin films are given.

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