Recoil effect in carbon structures and polymers

The recoil effect on quasi-elastic scattering of electrons has been described by Boersch. The Rutherford type scattering on the nucleus produces a shift of the elastic peak maximum of ΔEem, proportional to 1/M(atomic mass) and electron energy. Laser et al. studied the recoil effect for exact calibration of the energy scale for XPS. The other effect is broadening of the elastic peak. Reflection electron energy loss spectra were studied by an electron spectrometer ESA 31 of high energy resolution. Various modifications of C (electrode and reactor graphite, glassy C, powder) and conducting polymers (polyacetylene, polyaniline, polythiophene) have been studied with varying composition of C, O, H, S, Pd etc. In the case of the samples containing different elements the complex nature of the elastic peaks (consisting of the sum of components having different intensities and shifts) was clearly observed. Possible explanations for the recoil effects detected are reviewed.