Rovibrational Laser Spectroscopy of ESD Neutrals from Chemisorbed Species

Abstract

Ever since the introduction of intense tunable laser radiation, the fields of molecular spectroscopy and dynamics have expanded tremendously. Indeed, with each technical improvement in laser resolution and output power, new applications have emerged with correspondingly increased levels of sophistication and information. In the field of electron-stimulated desorption (ESD), not only has the utilization of lasers resulted in the detection of neutral species [1–5], which were previously difficult to observe without specially designed analyzers [6], but also the quantum-specific nature of the resonant laser interaction with the neutrals has yielded valuable information concerning internal energies [2–5]. In this article, we will discuss some of the experimental methods in the application of laser resonance-ionization spectroscopy (RIS) to the study of the ESD of neutrals, in particular, chemisorbed NO and CO desorption from Pt(111). We will also show how the detailed information obtained in these experiments has identified a new desorption mechanism.