Calculations of the Energy Accommodation Coefficient for Gas-Surface Interactions

TL;DR

This paper presents a classical mechanical theory to calculate the energy accommodation coefficient at gas-surface interfaces, successfully matching experimental data for heavier gases on tungsten surfaces.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive 3D classical approach including direct scattering and trapping-desorption, improving understanding of gas-surface energy exchange.

Findings

Good agreement with experimental data for heavier gases

Classical physics validity confirmed at measured temperatures

Enhanced modeling of atom-surface collision processes

Abstract

Calculations are carried out for the energy accommodation coefficient at a gas-surface interface using a recently developed classical mechanical theory of atom-surface collisions that includes both direct scattering and trapping-desorption processes in the physisorption well of the interaction potential. Full three-dimensional calculations are compared with the available data for the accommodation of rare gases at a tungsten surface and good agreement is found for the heavier gases for which classical physics is expected to be valid at all measured temperatures.