Helium backscattering from a randomly stepped surface

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Abstract
The backscattering of helium from a geometrically rough but clean surface has been studied. It is found that the scattering intensity vs. incidence angle shows a sequence of minima and maxima. These extrema are shown to be due to Bragg interference between helium atoms scattered by terraces separated by steps of one atom. From the intensity profile mean terrace lengths are deduced which are in a reasonable agreement with the macroroughness