Inelastic scattering of low-energy electrons in metals: the role of kinematics in screening

The inelastic scattering of low-energy electrons with the mobile part of the electron density of free-electron-like materials is investigated. Based on the dielectric theory for the homogeneous electron gas, the concept of Bohm and Pines is adopted in order to separate the single-particle and collective basic channels of the total inelastic rate. An effective screened potential is introduced to describe the separated single-particle part. The role of the relative motion of electrons, a kind of dynamical correlation effect, is modelled in this potential via a physical argument. The results obtained show that the nontrivial correlated motion of electrons may have a measurable influence on the result of dynamical probing of a degenerate electron gas.