MANIFESTATION OF QUANTUM CHAOS IN SCATTERING TECHNIQUES : APPLICATION TO LOW-ENERGY AND PHOTOELECTRON DIFFRACTION INTENSITIES

Intensities of low-energy electron diffraction and photoelectron diffraction are analyzed from a statistical point of view. The probability distribution is compared with a Porter-Thomas law, characteristic of a chaotic quantum system. The agreement obtained is understood in terms of analogies between simple models and Berry's conjecture for a typical wave function of a chaotic system. The consequences of this behavior on surface structural analysis are qualitatively discussed by looking at the behavior of standard correlation factors.