Low energy electron attenuation lengths in thin amorphous carbon films

The results of energy loss experiments on low energy electrons passing through thin amorphous carbon films are reported. For electron energies between 50 and 3000 eV, electron attenuation lengths were determined by electron transmission measurements through carbon o films of thicknesses between 81 and 210 A. The density of amorphous carbon was also obtained by a sink-float method and found to be 1.90 ± 0.05 g/cm³. The electron attenuation length was found to increase monotonically from approximately 12 to 58 A over the 50 to 3000 eV energy range. Over the 500 to 3000 eV energy region, the results are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions for amorphous carbon with the same density.