Quantitative approach to temporal diffraction from stepped surfaces

We demonstrate how quantitative information on surface kinetics can be obta ined from the intensity fluctuations in a diffraction experiment. As an exa mple we have calculated the diffraction intensity time autocorrelation func tion from a surface consisting of fluctuating steps. Two different rate lim iting atomic processes are considered as the source of the fluctuations. We show that the mechanism for equilibrium of a step can be distinguished by the characteristic time decay of the diffraction intensity autocorrelation function. In addition we discuss limits on experimental parameters necessar y to observe the diffraction fluctuations.