# Fundamentals of cathodoluminescence in a STEM: The impact of sample geometry and electron beam energy on light emission of semiconductors

## TL;DR

This paper investigates how sample shape, size, and electron beam energy influence cathodoluminescence spectra in semiconductors within STEM, revealing complex effects that complicate direct spectral interpretation.

## Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of how sample geometry and beam energy affect light emission, highlighting the influence of Cerenkov effects, transition radiation, and interference on spectra.

## Key findings

- Spectral features are significantly altered by sample shape and thickness.
- Cerenkov and transition radiation effects complicate spectral interpretation.
- Interference effects depend on sample geometry and beam energy.

## Abstract

Cathodoluminescence has attracted interest in scanning transmission electron microscopy since the advent of commercial available detection systems with high efficiency, like the Gatan Vulcan or the Attolight M\"onch system. In this work we discuss light emission caused by high-energy electron beams when traversing a semiconducting specimen. We find that it is impossible to directly interpret the spectrum of the emitted light to the inter-band transitions excited by the electron beam, because the Cerenkov effect and the related light guiding modes as well as transition radiation is altering the spectra. Total inner reflection and subsequent interference effects are changing the spectral shape dependent on the sample shape and geometry, sample thickness, and beam energy, respectively. A detailed study on these parameters is given using silicon and GaAs as test materials.