Low-loss electron energy loss spectroscopy: An atomic-resolution complement to optical spectroscopies and application to graphene

This paper reports on successful application of electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) for probing low-energy electronic excitations at all values of momentum transfer with atomic-scale spatial resolution. In this regard EELS appears to be complementary to optical spectroscopy which probes only direct excitations with limited spatial resolution. The authors suggest that EELS can be used to study atomic-scale structural, electronic, magnetic and vibrational properties of systems having defects and impurities as well.