Grazing scattering of fast rare-gas atoms by adsorbed monolayers as a method of investigating gas–surface interaction with Ångström spatial resolution

A new method is proposed for studying the dynamics of interaction between superthermal (0.1–10 eV) gas particles and a solid surface with Ångström spatial resolution. The method is based on the use of grazing scattering of fast rare-gas atoms (θ=1–5°, E1=1–10 keV) by monolayers of physically adsorbed particles. Due to the impulsive character of interaction and the translational symmetry of the physisorbed monolayer, one can introduce the concept of a pseudobeam of knocked-out atoms directed toward a certain point of the surface unit cell. An example of grazing scattering of fast Ar atoms by the ordered argon monolayer physisorbed on the Pt(1 1 1) surface is considered in detail. It is shown that the energy transfer to the platinum surface from the superthermal argon atoms to different points of surface can be measured in this case.