Energy loss of scattered ions at glancing-angle incidence on the crystal surface

Experimental findings of glancing-angle scattering of energetic ions are reviewed with particular emphasis on the energy loss of ion during scattering. The position-dependent stopping power of the surface which is derived from the angular dependence of observed energy loss is explained in terms of single and distance electron excitations of surface electrons. For the ions with velocities less than the Fermi velocity of target valence electrons, it is shown that the stopping power of a surface is determined only by the elastic collisions of the ion with valence electrons. From the analysis of the energy losses of 12–30 keV He ions reflected from the (001) surface of SnTe, a method is proposed to derive the electron density distribution averaged over the plane parallel to the surface from this position-dependent stopping power.