Rejection of the Devonshire Theory of Accommodation Coefficients in Gas-Surface Interactions (Including a Correction for Bound State Transitions)

Abstract
The main object of the paper is to reject the one‐dimensional (1D) quantum theories, in particular the Devonshire theory, of accommodation coefficients (ACS). Effects of transitions of a gas atom into bound states at the solid surface are included in the calculations. It is shown that the 1D theory cannot be made to fit the modern experimental data on the ACS of He–W for any realistic interaction parameters. The procedure of dividing the 1D theoretical results by a factor is rejected as a basis for calculation of the ACS. Results from the 1D theory are compared with corresponding preliminary results from a new 3D theory and with the experimental data. Reasons why the 3D fits are so much better than the corresponding 1D fits are discussed. The authors conclude that the 1D models must now be rejected.

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