Ionization of xenon Rydberg atoms at a metal surface.

Experiments in which a thermal-energy beam of xenon Rydberg atoms is directed at near grazing incidence onto a flat Au(111) surface are described that provide new insight into charge transfer and electron tunneling during atom/surface interactions. Analysis of the data shows that for the present range of principal quantum number n, 13 < or = n < or = 20, ionization occurs at an atom/surface separation Z(i) = (4.5+/-0.9)n2a0, where n2a0 is the Bohr radius of the atom. This result is in good agreement with the value Z(i) approximately 3.8n2a0 predicted by ab initio hydrogenic theory.