Inelastic effect in low energy ion-surface collisions: He+Au,Ag

Energy distributions of He⁺ ions scattered by Au and Ag surfaces are measured by an ISS system with high energy resolution, at a scattering angle of 90° and at incident ion energies ranging from 277 to 977 eV. It is found that the observed peak energies deviate toward the low energy side by several electron-volts with respect to the calculated elastic single collision energies. Both the deviation Q' and the inelastic loss energy Q are plotted as a function of incident ion energy for the Au surface.