Theory of the He-phonon forces at a metal surface

P. Senet; J. P. Toennies; G. Benedek

doi:doi:10.1209/epl/i2002-00478-8

DOI: 10.1209/epl/i2002-00478-8

Europhys. Lett., 57 (3) , pp. 430-436 (2002)

Theory of the He-phonon forces at a metal surface

P. Senet¹, J. P. Toennies² and G. Benedek³

¹ University of Antwerp, RUCA, TSM group, Department of Physics Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
² Max-Planck-Institut für Strömungsforschung Bunsenstrasse 10, D-37073 Göttingen, Germany
³ INFM, Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca Via Cozzi 53, I-20125 Milano, Italy

(Received 6 August 2001; accepted in final form 6 November 2001)

Abstract
The forces governing the inelastic scattering of He atoms from the surface phonons of a metal surface have been obtained from first principles as functions of the surface ground-state properties. The large inelastic scattering intensities which have been observed in association with the anomalous longitudinal surface modes of noble and transition metals are interpreted in the light of the present new theory.

PACS
73.20.-r - Electron states at surfaces and interfaces.
79.20.Rf - Atomic, molecular, and ion beam impact and interactions with surfaces.

© EDP Sciences 2002