Quantum theory of scattering of atoms from solid surfaces

We present a quantum theory of scattering of an atom from a solid surface. The formalism is constructed by assuming that the solution of two simpler problems is known; one of them is scattering of the atom by the average lattice potential; the other is the motion of the lattice in the absence of the scattering atom. The theory includes the effect of the thermal motion of the surface atoms as well as multiphonon energy transfer processes. The derivation assumes that the thermal fluctuations of the projectile–lattice potential and the energy of the distortion of the lattice by the projectile can be treated as perturbations.