Vibrational dynamics single species

Vibrational spectroscopy has been, and will continue to be, one of the most important teclmiques in physical chemistry. In fact, the vibrational absorption of a single acetylene molecule on a Cu(lOO) surface was recently reported [ ]. Its endurance is due to the fact that it provides detailed infonnation on structure, dynamics and enviromnent. It is employed in a wide variety of circumstances, from routine analytical applications, to identifying novel (often transient) species, to providing some of the most important data for advancing the understanding of intramolecular and intemiolecular interactions. 

Polymer films were produced by surface catalysis on clean Ni(100) and Ni(lll) single crystals in a standard UHV vacuum system H2.131. The surfaces were atomically clean as determined from low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Monomer was adsorbed on the nickel surfaces circa 150 K and reaction was induced by raising the temperature. Surface species were characterized by temperature programmed reaction (TPR), reflection infrared spectroscopy, and AES. Molecular orientations were inferred from the surface dipole selection rule of reflection infrared spectroscopy. The selection rule indicates that only molecular vibrations with a dynamic dipole normal to the surface will be infrared active [14.], thus for aromatic molecules the absence of a C=C stretch or a ring vibration mode indicates the ring must be parallel the surface. 

Laser-induced reaction has been widely used to stimulate gas-surface interaction. Lasers are also used to probe molecular dynamics in heterogeneous systems as well. In the applied area, the laser photochemical techniques are successfully applied to produce well defined microstructures and new materials for microelectronic devices (1). Enhanced adsorption and chemical reaction on surfaces can be achieved by a photoexcitation of gaseous molecules, adsorbed species as well as solid substrates. The modes of the excitation include vibrational and electronic states of the gaseous species and of the adsorbates surface complexes. Both a single and a multiple photon absorption may be involved in the excitation process. 

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