Kinematic simulation of convergent beam low-energy electron diffraction patterns

Kinematic simulations are used to investigate the geometrical properties of convergent beam low-energy electron diffraction patterns from an Si(0 0 1) surface. Compression of a low-energy electron microscope immersion lens is included explicitly and the sensitivity of patterns to surface reconstruction and dimer buckling is investigated. Key pattern features and whole pattern symmetries are identified from the simulations and interpreted geometrically. Advantages over conventional low-energy electron diffraction techniques are identified.