QUANTUM MECHANICS OF STICKING
- 1 June 1994
- journal article
- Published by World Scientific Pub Co Pte Ltd in Surface Review and Letters
- Vol. 1 (1) , 129-132
- https://doi.org/10.1142/s0218625x94000151
Abstract
The sticking coefficient s(E) of an atom of low energy E striking a solid surface is discussed, with emphasis on the threshold behavior as E→0. The subject is under active experimental and theoretical study, which is summarized. There is general agreement that a classical treatment of the motion of the incident and target atoms yields s(E)→1 as E→0. This paper, in disagreement with the work by Th. Martin, R. Bruinsma, and P. Platzman, argues that, quantum mechanically, for small E, s(E)~E1/2 for neutral incident atoms and s(E)→ α(<1) for charged ones, regardless of the strength of the interaction. This behavior is due to (a) quantum reflection and (b) a Debye-Waller-like effect.Keywords
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