Diffraction of fast atoms under axial surface channeling conditions

For scattering of fast atoms under axial channeling conditions from surfaces diffraction effects have been observed in the distributions for scattered projectiles. Basic features concerning this recently observed new phenomenon in ion/atom surface scattering will be demonstrated for collisions of light atoms with well ordered clean and adsorbate covered surfaces of insulators and metals. We will focus our discussion on the scattering of 3He atoms with keV energies from a LiF(0 0 1) surface along low indexed axial surface channels and deduce the corrugation of the He–LiF(0 0 1) interaction potential from intensity modulations of the diffraction spots. Furthermore, we observe for the first time interference effects also for He+ ions which undergo charge exchange during scattering from the surface. The potential of the method for the investigation of structures of surfaces is discussed.