The Role of Molecular Structure in Monte Carlo Simulations of the Secondary Electron Yield and Backscattering Coefficient from Methacrylic Acid

In this paper, we show the influence of the chemical structure of four different conformers on the secondary electron emission and backscattering of an electron beam from a gel of methacrylic acid. The conformers have different permanent dipole moments, which determines the cross sections for elastic collisions with electrons. The cross sections are used in Monte Carlo simulations of an electron beam, which enters the gel of methacrylic acid. The secondary electron yield and the backscattering coefficient are computed as a function of the beam energy.