The angular intensity distribution of He beams scattered from compact
clusters and from diffusion limited aggregates, epitaxially grown on metal
surfaces, is investigated theoretically. The purpose is twofold: to distinguish
compact cluster structures from diffusion limited aggregates, and to find
observable {\em signatures} that can characterize the compact clusters at the
atomic level of detail. To simplify the collision dynamics, the study is
carried out in the framework of the sudden approximation, which assumes that
momentum changes perpendicular to the surface are large compared with momentum
transfer due to surface corrugation. The diffusion limited aggregates on which
the scattering calculations were done, were generated by kinetic Monte Carlo
simulations. It is demonstrated, by focusing on the example of compact Pt
Heptamers, that signatures of structure of compact clusters may indeed be
extracted from the scattering distribution. These signatures enable both an
experimental distinction between diffusion limited aggregates and compact
clusters, and a determination of the cluster structure. The characteristics
comprising the signatures are, to varying degrees, the Rainbow, Fraunhofer,
specular and constructive interference peaks, all seen in the intensity
distribution. It is also shown, how the distribution of adsorbate heights above
the metal surface can be obtained by an analysis of the specular peak
attenuation. The results contribute to establishing He scattering as a powerful
tool in the investigation of surface disorder and epitaxial growth on surfaces,
alongside with STM.Comment: 41 pages, 16 postscript figures. For more details see
http://www.fh.huji.ac.il/~dan