Scattering of helium atoms from rare-gas-plated graphite

Accurate close-coupling calculations are performed for helium interacting with rare-gas-plated graphite. The atom-surface potentials used in this study are based upon pairwise additivity of atom-atom interactions, and the role of three-body forces is explored. Comparison between theoretical calculations which in turn include and exclude three-body forces indicates that experimental data are sensitive to three-body forces. Further comparison between theoretical calculations and experimental data for helium scattering from either krypton- or xenon-plated graphite yields semiquantitative agreement. Inasmuch as there are no adjustable parameters employed in the input potentials, it is concluded that these systems are well understood.