Abstract
Several varied aspects of the scattering of supersonic atom beams from surfaces are reviewed. Atom beams can be used to probe precise details of the gas-surface interaction potential. In the long range, Van der Waals attractive region, this arises because of the sensitivity to the bound states of the potential. The shorter range repulsive interaction can be probed by measuring the diffracted beam intensities as a function of incident energy and incident angle. The determination of the He/Ag{110} potential is described. Atom-adsorbate interactions show a large diffuse scattering cross-section. This can be exploited to investigate the very early stages of adsorption, island formation and problems in co-adsorption. These aspects are illustrated by some examples of CO adsorption and potassium and CO co-adsorption on metals. Finally, the use of highly monochromatic beams (Δ E < 1 meV) for the measurement of surface phonon dispersion, in a region not accessible to electron energy loss spectroscopy, is described.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
