Grazing incidence fast atom diffraction from metal surfaces

C. A. RIOS RUBIANO; G.A. BOCAN; J.I. JUARISTI; M. S. GRAVIELLE; N. BUNDALESKI; H. KHEMLICHE; P. RONCIN

San Sebastian

Workshop; 30th Brandt Ritchie Workshop; 2013

Comité de 30th BRW

Since the unexpected observation of grazing incidence diffraction of fast atoms (GIFAD) on crystal surfaces, extensive experimental and theoretical research has been devoted to the subject. The first experimental evidences of this phenomenon were reported at insulator materials, where the presence of a wide band-gap helps to suppress inelastic processes, thus preventing quantum decoherence. Soon afterwards the effect was observed at semi-conductor and metallic surfaces even though, for the latter case, energy loss values were found to be significant. The aim of this work is to investigate the diffraction patterns produced by fast He atoms grazingly impinging on a Ag(110) surface. This collision system corresponds to the first and simplest metallic case for which GIFAD effects were experimentally observed, and it provides a useful prototype to examine both the performance of the theoretical model and the contribution of inelastic process.