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Exact theory of long-wavelength one-phonon amplitudes in atom-surface scattering
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Exact theory of long-wavelength one-phonon amplitudes in atom-surface scattering

Michael E. Flatté and Walter Kohn
Physical review. B, Condensed matter, Vol.43(10), pp.7422-7426
04/01/1991
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.43.7422
PMID: 9996358

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Abstract

We derive an expression for the probability of creating or annihilating one long-wavelength surface or bulk phonon during a scattering event, which depends on the bulk elastic constants but is independent of the details of the atom-target potential and of force-constant changes near the surface. This expression is exact if the inelastic scattering is weak (in a precisely defined sence). This theory should be experimentally verifiable, e.g., for 20-meV He atoms scattered from a W surface. © 1991 The American Physical Society.

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