INELASTIC-SCATTERING FROM THE TRANSLATIONAL VIBRATION MODE OF MOLECULES ADSORBED ON SOLID-SURFACES

The inelastic scattering processes of atoms associated with the excita tion of the translational vibration mode on molecules adsorbed on soli d surfaces, which have been reported in recent experiments have been i nvestigated by numerical calculations using a simple model. In this mo del, in order to estimate the inelastic effects it is considered that the molecule position can move parallel to the surface one-dimensional ly when the molecule is in collision with a moving atom. The numerical results show that there is a branching of the inelastic scattering wa ves and its behaviour depends strongly on the angle of the atom incide nce as measured from the surface.