Charge transfer rates for xenon Rydberg atoms at metal and semiconductor surfaces

Recent progress in the study of charge exchange between xenon Rydberg atoms and surfaces is reviewed. Experiments using Au(1 1 1) surfaces show that under appropriate conditions each incident atom can be detected as an ion. The ionization dynamics, however, are strongly influenced by the perturbations in the energies and structure of the atomic states that occur as the ion collection field is applied and as the atom approaches the surface. These lead to avoided crossings between different atomic levels causing the atom to successively assume the character of a number of different states and lose much of its initial identity. The effects of this mixing are discussed. Efficient surface ionization is also observed at Si(1 0 0) surfaces although the ion signal is influenced by stray fields present at the surface.