Department of Physics and Astronomy: Publications and Other Research

 

Date of this Version

October 2001

Comments

Published in PHYSICAL REVIEW A, VOLUME 64, 052713. Copyright ©2001 The American Physical Society. Used by permission.

Abstract

We present the results of a series of model Monte Carlo calculations of the scattering of spin-polarized electrons from gold foil targets. Our calculations examine the behavior of the left-right scattering asymmetry A as a function of various parameters conventionally used in extrapolation of the left-right asymmetry to single atom and/or elastic scattering conditions. These parameters include target thickness, scattered count rate, and the maximum energy that an electron can have lost in the target and still be detected. Data are obtained at incident electron energies of 10–120 keV, with detector-subtended half-cone angles of 5°, 10°, and 20°, and gold foils of average thickness varying from 3 to 1000Å. Both elastic and inelastic electron scattering effects have been considered. Comparisons of our results are made with existing measurements and theoretical models. We make recommendations concerning extrapolation algorithms and for future experiments to test the present Mott scattering Monte Carlo model.

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