B.N.J. Persson

Vibrational lifetime for CO adsorbed on Cu(100)

Abstract We have estimated the lifetime of the CO stretching vibration mode for a CO molecule adsorbed on a Cu(100) surface. The observed lifetime can be explained in terms of excitation of electron hole pairs in the metal, due to oscillations (during the vibration) of charge between the CO 2π ∗ orbitals and the metal.

Theory of inelastic scattering of slow electrons by molecules absorbed on metal surfaces

Abstract This paper presents a quantum-mechanical theory of the inelastic scattering of slow electrons by molecules adsorbed on metal surfaces. The differential cross section for vibrational excitation of one single molecule is computed.

Inelastic scattering of slow electrons from adsorbed molecules

Abstract The inelastic scattering of slow electrons from molecules adsorbed on a metal surface is studied. Previous calculations are improved by including the Coulomb interaction between the incident electrons and the induced charge density that they give rise to in the surface region of the metal.

Absorption of photons by molecules adsorbed on metal surfaces

Abstract We present in this paper a simple expression for how the reflectivity of a metal surface changes when a monolayer of molecules is adsorbed on the surface.

Vibrational excitation cross-sections for adsorbed CO

Abstract The energy and angular dependence for inelastic electron scattering from vibrational modes of CO adsorbed on Cu(100) has been investigated. Experimental results for the Cu-CO and C-O stretching vibrational modes are presented and compared with scattering calculations assuming dipole interaction. We find that the characteristic experimental features are in accordance with the predictions of the dipole scattering theory.

Damping of excited molecules located above a metal surface

Abstract This paper presents numerical results of a theory for how excited molecules, located above a metal surface, are damped due to excitation of electron—hole pairs and bulk plasmons in the metal. The theory is compared with experiments for the special case of vibrationally excited molecules adsorbed directly on the metal surface.

Inelastic scattering of slow electrons from adsorbed CO

Abstract We have investigated how the cross section for vibrational excitation of adsorbed CO by slow electrons varies with the angle of incidence. Experimental results for the NiCO and CO stretching vibrational modes are presented and compared with a recently developed dipole scattering theory. Good agreement between theory and experiment is obtained.

On the Debye-Waller factor in molecular beam scattering experiments

Abstract In the molecular beam scattering experiments against metal surfaces, one often obtains surface Debye temperatures larger than the bulk ones, in apparent contradiction to the larger thermal atomic motion at the surface. We point out that this is a consequence of that the thermal molecules scatter against the outer part of the electron distribution, and that the metal electrons do not follow the atomic motion rigidly. A self-consistent model calculation shows that this is a large enough effect to explain the experimental results.

Vibrational Lifetimes for Molecules Adsorbed on Metal Surfaces

Theoretical calculations of the decay of vibrations of molecules adsorbed on a metal surface due to excitation of electronhole pairs in the metal are described and discussed. Both a dipole- and a resonance-coupling model are considered. Calculated lifetimes are compared with the measured value for the system CO/Cu(100).