Dynamics of Cluster Scattering from Surfaces.

We have carried out stochastic trajectory simulations of the scattering of argon clusters, Ar sub (n,) n=5 to 26, from a Pt(111) surface. At incident energies of 0.1 and 0.5 eV per atom, the clusters fragment almost completely into individual atoms. Some atoms remain trapped on the surface, but the majority scatter. For the larger clusters, the angular distributions of the scattered atoms peak near the surface tangent, and are almost independent of the incident angle.