Intensity distributions of reflected surface channeling protons scattered on surfaces of electron-bombarded alkali halide crystals

We have examined the surface-channeling of 550 keV protons on electron-bombarded KBr(0 0 1) surfaces at grazing incidence. On the surface, electron-stimulated desorption (ESD) resulting from the irradiation of 5 keV electrons changes the surface morphology. In order to investigate the change of the surface morphology, the luminous intensity distributions observed on a fluorescent screen (scattering patterns) of the reflected protons under the surface-channeling conditions are measured. Normalized specular intensity of the protons oscillates, and the results of computer simulations show that the period of the intensity oscillation agrees with the period of layer-by-layer desorption. The measured period of the oscillation is comparable to the simulated one, i.e., the period of the desorption, however, the measured amplitude of the oscillation is weak. This shows that the layer-by-layer desorption of the experimental surface is observed but is not as remarkable as that of the perfect surface introduced in the simulation.