Abstract: The investigation of influence of surface effects on the energy spectra of electrons is essential for comprehensive understanding of electron-solid interactions as well as quantitative analysis. The accuracy of the analysis depends on the models for elastic and inelastic interactions. Electrons impinging on a solid or escaping from it suffer losses in the surface layer. The energy loss spectra therefore have contributions from surface excitations. The role of surface excitations is characterized by surface excitation parameter (SEP), which indicates the number of surface plasmons created by an electron crossing the surface. The imaginary part of complex self-energy of an electron is related to the energy.' loss cross section. SEP is numerically computed using self-energy formalism and compared with the results as described and calculated by different workers.

Key words: surface plasmons, surface excitations parameter, self-energy