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Title: Photoexcitation of adsorbates on metal surfaces: One-step or three-step

Abstract

In this essay we discuss the light-matter interactions at molecule-covered metal surfaces that initiate surface photochemistry. The hot-electron mechanism for surface photochemistry, whereby the absorption of light by a metal surface creates an electron-hole pair, and the hot electron scatters through an unoccupied resonance of adsorbate to initiate nuclear dynamics leading to photochemistry, has become widely accepted. Yet, ultrafast spectroscopic measurements of molecule-surface electronic structure and photoexcitation dynamics provide scant support for the hot electron mechanism. Instead, in most cases the adsorbate resonances are excited through photoinduced substrate-to-adsorbate charge transfer. Based on recent studies of the role of coherence in adsorbate photoexcitation, as measured by the optical phase and momentum resolved two-photon photoemission measurements, we examine critically the hot electron mechanism, and propose an alternative description based on direct charge transfer of electrons from the substrate to adsorbate. The advantage of this more quantum mechanically rigorous description is that it informs how material properties of the substrate and adsorbate, as well as their interaction, influence the frequency dependent probability of photoexcitation and ultimately how light can be used to probe and control surface femtochemistry.

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22098990
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Chemical Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 137; Journal Issue: 9; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0021-9606
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; ABSORPTION; ELECTRON TRANSFER; ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE; ELECTRONS; FREQUENCY DEPENDENCE; INTERACTIONS; METALS; PHOTOCHEMISTRY; PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY; PHOTOEMISSION; PHOTONS; REACTION KINETICS; SURFACES

Citation Formats

Petek, Hrvoje. Photoexcitation of adsorbates on metal surfaces: One-step or three-step. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4746801.
Petek, Hrvoje. Photoexcitation of adsorbates on metal surfaces: One-step or three-step. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4746801
Petek, Hrvoje. 2012. "Photoexcitation of adsorbates on metal surfaces: One-step or three-step". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4746801.
@article{osti_22098990,
title = {Photoexcitation of adsorbates on metal surfaces: One-step or three-step},
author = {Petek, Hrvoje},
abstractNote = {In this essay we discuss the light-matter interactions at molecule-covered metal surfaces that initiate surface photochemistry. The hot-electron mechanism for surface photochemistry, whereby the absorption of light by a metal surface creates an electron-hole pair, and the hot electron scatters through an unoccupied resonance of adsorbate to initiate nuclear dynamics leading to photochemistry, has become widely accepted. Yet, ultrafast spectroscopic measurements of molecule-surface electronic structure and photoexcitation dynamics provide scant support for the hot electron mechanism. Instead, in most cases the adsorbate resonances are excited through photoinduced substrate-to-adsorbate charge transfer. Based on recent studies of the role of coherence in adsorbate photoexcitation, as measured by the optical phase and momentum resolved two-photon photoemission measurements, we examine critically the hot electron mechanism, and propose an alternative description based on direct charge transfer of electrons from the substrate to adsorbate. The advantage of this more quantum mechanically rigorous description is that it informs how material properties of the substrate and adsorbate, as well as their interaction, influence the frequency dependent probability of photoexcitation and ultimately how light can be used to probe and control surface femtochemistry.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4746801},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22098990}, journal = {Journal of Chemical Physics},
issn = {0021-9606},
number = 9,
volume = 137,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Sep 07 00:00:00 EDT 2012},
month = {Fri Sep 07 00:00:00 EDT 2012}
}