A molecular beam-surface apparatus for quantum state-resolved adsorption studies

Abstract

Understanding the microscopic mechanism of molecule–surface interaction is of great importance in the study of chemical dynamics. Yet, it remains challenging to experimentally acquire quantum state resolved results, particularly the results related to different degrees of freedom of the reactants. Here, we report the design and performance of a new apparatus for molecule–surface dynamics studies, which enable the measurement of quantum state-resolved adsorption. A continuous narrow-linewidth infrared laser source and molecular beam unit were developed and employed in this new apparatus to achieve independent control on different degrees of freedom (translation, vibration, and rotation) of the molecule. Preliminary results on hydrogen and hydrogen chloride adsorption on the Cu (111) surface were also presented.

Hyperthermal velocity distributions of recombinatively-desorbing oxygen from Ag(111)

“…Such theoretical work provides excellent data for comparison with surface dynamics experiments under well-controlled UHV conditions. A classical experimental approach probes the entrance channel of the reaction pathway by employing pulsed molecular beams of reactants to initiate the surface reaction ( Barker and Auerbach, 1984 ; Kleyn et al, 1996 ; Sitz, 2002 ; Kleyn, 2003 ; Golibrzuch et al, 2015 ; Chadwick and Beck, 2016 ; Vattuone and Okada, 2020 ; Shen et al, 2022 ). Seeding reactants in different carrier gases allows for modification of the incident translational energy.…”