Experimental and theoretical analysis of the multiphonon excitation probability for Einstein-like modes in atom-surface scattering - art. no. 155410

The probabilities of multiple excitation (multiphonon transfer) of decouple d, oscillating adsorbates on a surface via impact by an atom or molecule ar e discussed using a dynamical scattering model, and comparisons are made wi th helium scattering results for carbon monoxide adsorbed on metal surfaces . The scattering model, which contains no free adjustable parameters, is sh own to predict correctly the angular dependence of the distribution of the multiphonon excitations in addition to the variation with incident energy a nd adsorbate frequency. Furthermore, the model is used to calculate the exc itation probability of other vibrational modes that have not yet been obser ved using helium-atom scattering.