Energy loss in grazing proton-surface collisions

The energy loss of fast protons, with energy E>100 keV, specularly reflected on a solid surface with glancing angle of incidence of the order of a mrad is analysed on theoretical grounds. Two different contributions can be distinguished: i) energy losses originating from the interaction with the valence band, accounted for through an induced force, and ii) the excitation of electron bound states of the target atoms. The results are compared with available experimental data.