The existence and detection of Rydberg states at surfaces

Abstract

It is shown that the surface barrier potential can confine electrons in surface states, which because of the coulombic tail on the potential form a Rydberg series. This previously known result is made more rigorous by a discussion of lifetime broadening of the states. Observability of the states via LEED experiments is also investigated. The Rydberg series should give rise to structure in LEED curves which can in principle be resolved for all members of the series as n to infinity .