Quantum Theory of Reactive Scattering and Adsorption at Surfaces

The interaction of atoms and molecules with surfaces is of great technological relevance [1]. Both advantageous and harmful processes can occur at surfaces. Catalytic reactions at surfaces represent a desired process while corrosion is an unwanted process. If light atoms and molecules such as hydrogen or helium are interacting with the surface, then quantum effects in the interaction dynamics between the incoming beam and the substrate have to be taken into account. First of all there are quantum effects in the energy transfer to the substrate vibrations, the phonons. While classically there will always be an energy loss of the incident particles to the substrate, quantum mechanically there is a certain probability for elastic scattering, i.e., without any energy transfer between the substrate and the scattered particles. This has also important consequences on the sticking probabilities of weakly bound species such as rare gases at low kinetic energies.