Thermal diffuse scattering: elastic and coherent

TL;DR

This paper investigates thermal diffuse scattering caused by electron-phonon interactions, demonstrating that TDS electrons remain elastic and coherent, significantly contributing to Kikuchi line contrast in electron diffraction.

Contribution

It clarifies that TDS electrons are elastic and coherent, providing new insights into their role in electron diffraction patterns.

Findings

TDS electrons are elastic despite lattice vibrations.

TDS electrons remain coherent and form interference patterns.

TDS significantly contributes to Kikuchi line contrast.

Abstract

Thermal diffuse scattering (TDS) caused by the interaction of high-energy electrons with phonons has been investigated. An oscillating atom retains all of its elastic scattering capacity, although the vibration changes the spatial distribution of the scattering potential. Therefore, the scattering by the vibrating lattice or phonons is still elastic. Furthermore, the TDS electrons re-main coherent and form the diffuse interference patterns even under the time-averaging assump-tion. Elastic and coherent TDS electrons contribute most of the contrast of Kikuchi lines.