Limitations of the Trajectory Approximation in Atom-Surface Scattering (bibtex)

by DiRubio, Christopher A., Goodstein, David M., Cooper, Barbara H. and Kieron Burke

Abstract:

We have scattered low energy (100-400 eV) Na+ from a Cu(001) surface, and studied the peak in the energy spectra that corresponds to collisions in which the Na+ interacts primarily with a single Cu atom. This peak is broadened by the thermal fluctuations in the momentum of the Cu atom. Its width has been measured as a function of surface temperature, scattering geometry, and incident energy. Our data agree well with a rigorous statistical analysis (within 10%) but poorly with the trajectory approximation (TA), demonstrating that the TA can fail when recoil is substantial.

DOI link

Reference:

Limitations of the Trajectory Approximation in Atom-Surface Scattering DiRubio, Christopher A., Goodstein, David M., Cooper, Barbara H. and Kieron Burke, Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 2768-2771 (1994).

Bibtex Entry:

@article{DGCB94,
	Pub-num = {010},
	Abstract = {We have scattered low energy (100-400 eV) Na+ from a Cu(001) surface, and studied the peak in the energy spectra that corresponds to collisions in which the Na+ interacts primarily with a single Cu atom. This peak is broadened by the thermal fluctuations in the momentum of the Cu atom. Its width has been measured as a function of surface temperature, scattering geometry, and incident energy. Our data agree well with a rigorous statistical analysis (within 10\%) but poorly with the trajectory approximation (TA), demonstrating that the TA can fail when recoil is substantial.},
	Author = {DiRubio, Christopher A. and Goodstein, David M. and Cooper, Barbara H. and Kieron Burke},
	Date-Modified = {2013-02-12 00:16:04 +0000},
	Doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.73.2768},
	Journal = {Phys. Rev. Lett.},
	Month = {Nov},
	Number = {20},
	Pages = {2768-2771},
	Publisher = {American Physical Society},
	Title = {Limitations of the Trajectory Approximation in Atom-Surface Scattering},
	url = {http://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.73.2768},
	Volume = {73},
	Year = {1994},
	Bdsk-Url-1 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.73.2768}}