The energy losses of keV atomic beams at grazing reflections from an amorphous metal surface are studied. Expressions for various components of these losses, including dissipative van der Waals, specular electrodynamic, and inelastic electronic interactions have been obtained. Calculations of the grazing reflection of sodium and potassium atoms from the aluminum surface show that the dissipative van der Waals component of energy losses can dominate or be quite noticeable at transverse energies of 0.5–2 eV.
G. V. Dedkov (Sun,) studied this question.