A setup for grazing incidence fast atom diffraction

Abstract

We describe a UHV setup for grazing incidence fast atom diffraction (GIFAD) experiments. The overall geometry is simply a source of keV atoms facing an imaging detector. Therefore, it is very similar to the geometry of reflection high energy electron diffraction experiments used to monitor growth at surfaces. Several custom instrumental developments are described making GIFAD operation efficient and straightforward. The difficulties associated with accurately measuring the small scattering angle and the related calibration are carefully analyzed.

Elastic and inelastic diffraction of fast neon atoms on a LiF surface

“…The typical arrangement of a GIFAD experiment is detailed in ref. 14, and only a brief description is given here. An ion beam in the keV energy range is neutralized by charge exchange and severely collimated before entering a UHV setup where it interacts at grazing incidence y i B 11 with a crystalline surface.…”