Effects of adsorbate-induced states on the metastable He atom scattering from water- and benzene-adsorbed Cu(1 0 0)

The intensity of metastable helium (He*) atoms which survive during the scattering from water- and benzene-adsorbed Cu(1 0 0) surfaces was measured. The survival probability (SP) of He* was found to be sensitive to the electronic states at around the Fermi level, which is derived from the adsorbate/metal hybridization and extend toward the vacuum. The SP is likely to depend largely on the kinetic energy of the He* atoms. The kinetic energy dependence can be understood on the basis of the He* decay mechanism. Metastable-atom deexcitation spectroscopy (MDS) and surface electronic structure calculation have been used for discussing the results for the He* SP.