Observations of localised dielectric excitations, secondary events and ionisation damage by scanning transmission electron microscopy

In the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) a high intensity /approximately/0.5nm diameter, probe of 100 keV electrons is formed. This can be positioned to collect energy loss spectra from surfaces, interfaces, small spheres or other particles at controlled values of impact parameter or can be scanned across the object (usually a thin film) to produce high resolution images formed from a variety of signals - small angle or large angle (Z contrast) elastic scattering, inelastic scattering (both valence and core losses), secondary electron emission and x-ray or optical photon emission. The high spatial resolution achievable in a variety of simple structures raises many unsolved theoretical problems concerning the generation, propagation and decay of excitations in inhomogeneous media. These range from quite well posed problems in the mathematical physics of dielectric excitation to problems of plasmon propagation and rather more exotic and less well understood problems of radiation damage. 15 refs., 4 figs