Interpretation of Electron Channeling by the Dynamical Theory of Electron Diffraction

Abstract

The connection between electron channeling and electron diffraction is discussed on the basis of the dynamical theory. Results of the many-beam calculations for 50 keV to 2 MeV electrons incident almost parallel to a [110] axis of a MgO crystal are used as examples. Bloch waves with a marked concentration of electron density at rows of atoms are obtained, and interpreted as states of electrons bound to the rows of atoms, corresponding to the classical picture of channeling. This can be shown properly by applying the tight-binding method of band theory in the two dimensions perpendicular to the axis. In this picture the "rosette motions"' in the classical theory are interpreted as p-tvpe, d-type, etc. Bloch waves, and the "weavons" as loosely-bound s-type Bloch waves. They are connected to the pictures of the Borrmann effect and the Bloch-wave channeling in the diffraction theory.