Molecular beam-surface scattering

Abstract

The scattering of He, H, H2, and Ne beams from various single-crystal surfaces has been studied in the last decade with substantial refinements of both experimental and theoretical techniques. He beam-surface scattering is now a well established technique for the study of surface properties such as structure and lattice dynamics of both clean and adsorbate-covered surfaces. The HeD and HeELS techniques (Helium diffraction and He energy loss spectroscopy) are discussed and shown to be highly competitive with respect to the most widely known LEED and EELS (low energy electron diffraction and electron energy loss spectroscopy). With hydrogen beams the interest is focused more on the hydrogen-surface interaction than on intrinsic surface properties. Studies of the hydrogen-surface potential energy curves for a few simple systems are reviewed. Finally, as an example of heavy atom-surface interaction the scattering of 20Ne from LiF(001) is considered.