Theory of phonon inelastic atom–surface scattering. I. Quantum mechanical treatment of collision dynamics

Abstract

We present a systematic formulation of the atom–surface scattering dynamics which includes the vibrational states of the atoms in the solid (phonons). The properties of the total scattering wave function of the system, a representation of the interaction potential matrix, and the characteristics of the independent physical solutions are all derived from the translational invariance of the full Hamiltonian. The scattering equations in the integral forms as well as the related Green functions were also obtained. The configurational representations of the Green functions, in particular, are quite different from those of the conventional scattering theory where the collision partners are spatially localized. Various versions of the integral expression of scattering, transition, and reactance matrices were also obtained. They are useful for introducing approximation schemes. From the present formulation, some specific theoretical schemes which are more realistic compared to those that have been employed so far and at the same time capable of yielding effective ab initio computation are derived in the following paper. The time reversal invariance and the microscopic reversibility of the atom–surface scattering were discussed. The relations between the in and outgoing scattering wave functions which are satisfied in the atom–surface system and important in the transition matrix methods were presented. The phonon annihilation and creation, and the adsorption and desorption of the atom are related through the time reversal invariance, and thus the microscopic reversibility can be tested by the experiment.