Atomic collisions with inhomogeneous solid surfaces: multiple scattering from surface defects and mixed overlayers

Hansong Cheng, Kai Yang, Eduardo Vilallonga, Herschel Rabitz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

We employ the multiple-scattering expansion of the transition operator to evaluate the role of multiple collisions in elastic scattering of atoms from adsorbates on solid surfaces at superthermal energies (E ≳ 0.1 eV). The adsorbatesurface system is treated as a rigid-body model in the present work. Mixed-species periodic overlayers are considered as well as two-layer systems simultaneously involving periodic and non-periodic configurations. The calculated scattering patterns show rich structure due to the interference between waves scattered from different adsorbates. The enhanced sensitivity provided by wavevectors k ≳ 10 Å-1 could be exploited for surface characterization by scattering experiments. We find that the single-collision approximation qualitatively reproduces the trends of the intensity with respect to final angles. Double-collision terms are evaluated with the pole approximation and found to play an important role in large transfers of parallel momentum.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)168-184
Number of pages17
JournalSurface Science
Volume304
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 1994

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Surfaces and Interfaces
  • Surfaces, Coatings and Films
  • Materials Chemistry

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