title: Quantum theory of dissociative chemisorption on metal surfaces.
abstract: Recent theoretical progress in gas-surface reaction dynamics, a field relevant to heterogeneous catalysis, is described. One of the most fundamental reactions, the dissociative chemisorption of H2 on metal surfaces, can now be treated accurately using quantum mechanics. Density functional theory is used to compute the molecule-surface interaction, and the motion of the hydrogen atoms is simulated using quantum dynamics, modeling all six molecular degrees of freedom. Theory is in good quantitative agreement with molecular beam experiments, offering useful interpretations, and allowing reliable predictions. The success of the approach calls for extensions to larger systems, such as dissociative chemisorption of polyatomic molecules.
authors.affiliation: Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Gorlaeus Laboratories, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Geert-Jan
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Kroes
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Evert-Jan
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Baerends
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scheffler
authors.forename: Drew A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: McCormack