Atom-selective bond breaking in a chemisorbed homonuclear molecule induced by core excitation: N2/Ru(001)

We observe photochemical selectivity for N 1s to pi(*) excitations of chemisorbed N2. By narrow bandwidth synchrotron radiation we selectively excite one of the two atoms of the molecule. Photon stimulated desorption of neutral N atoms predominates for excitations of the N atom close to the surface,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2000-01, Vol.84 (2), p.374-377
Main Authors: Romberg, R, Heckmair, N, Frigo, SP, Ogurtsov, A, Menzel, D, Feulner, P
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:We observe photochemical selectivity for N 1s to pi(*) excitations of chemisorbed N2. By narrow bandwidth synchrotron radiation we selectively excite one of the two atoms of the molecule. Photon stimulated desorption of neutral N atoms predominates for excitations of the N atom close to the surface, whereas excitation of the outer atom ejects predominantly N02 and small amounts of N+, demonstrating the predominant breaking of the inner or outer bond, respectively, of the N2 adsorbate. Analysis on the basis of previously obtained decay electron spectra after atom-selective excitation can explain the mechanism of localized bond breaking.
ISSN:1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.374