Analysis of characteristic electron energy losses in reflection from the surface provides information on electron and band structure of the solid state. Study of transition metals, their alloys (Fe-N, Zn-Ni) and amorphous alloys Fe_{78}Si_{9}B_{13} show that there are two subsets of electron gas characterized by different oscillation frequency. The presence of independent components of volume plasmons corresponding to s and d electrons is an evidence that despite collectivization both the subsets preserve individual features characteristic of the structure of an isolated atom. From the energy losses the following quantities are determined: the effective mass (μ) for particular electron subsets, the Fermi energy (E_{F}), the band widths (δE) for s and d electrons and contribution of the subsets to the metal conductivity (γ). The obtained results for metals are compared to analogous data for alloys both in crystalline and amorphous phase.
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