ROLE OF LONG-RANGE FORCES IN H STICKING TO LIQUID HE

An analysis is presented of the problem of H sticking to liquid He at low temperature. For the bulk liquid, the sticking coefficient is computed to be less than 0.01 at T < 10(-4) K, varying as T1/2 for lower T. While apparently contradicted by the recent data of Doyle et al., compatibility is found if cognizance is taken of the fact that the He exists as a film in the experiments. In this case, the underlying substrate greatly enhances the attraction experienced by the H atom. The calculations demonstrate that the effects of retardation and corrections to the distorted-wave Born approximation are significant.