Low energy ion scattering of clean and oxygen-covered Ni(110)

Low energy ion scattering can provide atom location and structural information from a number of different measurements. Low angle scattering can yield information on atom location and surface crystallography from the measurement of the azimuthal angular distribution of scattered particles. Large angle backscattering provides a direct measurement of shadow cone geometry and combined with the angular dependence of the backscattered yield, this large angle scattering event can provide accurate information on the surface structure. Studies of the angular distribution of recoil ions from the surface can also provide information on the site from which the recoil came. These three techniques have been applied to the study of the Ni(110) surface and to oxygen adsorption on that surface. A comparison of the information available from each technique is presented.