The authors have studied the inelastic scattering of rare-gas atoms from a metal surface due to the excitation of electron-hole pairs. By comparing with a quantum-mechanical calculation they show that a classical trajectory treatment of the rare-gas atom should in general be sufficient. From an ab initio calculation for He atoms scattered from a Cu surface, they conclude that the electronic mechanism is of little importance for inelastic scattering of rare-gas atoms.
 

Physical Review B, 25 2514-21, 1982.