Angular and energy dependences of the surface excitation parameter for semiconducting III–V compounds

Sum-rule-constrained extended Drude dielectric functions were used to study surface excitations generated by energetic electrons moving across surfaces of semiconducting III–V compounds. Parameters in the dielectric functions were determined from fits to experimental optical data and electron energy-loss spectra. Electron inelastic mean free paths (IMFPs) in GaN, GaP, GaAs, GaSb, InAs and InSb were calculated for electron energies between 200 and 2000 eV, and the results were found to follow the simple formula, i.e., λ = kEp, where λ is the IMFP and E is the electron energy. Surface excitation parameters (SEPs), which describe the total probability of surface excitations by electrons crossing the surface and travelling in vacuum, were also calculated for different electron energies and crossing angles. The SEP was found to follow the simple formula, i.e., P s = aE - b cos c α , where Ps is the SEP and α is the crossing angle relative to the surface normal.