title: RETRACTED: Desorption of H from Si(111) by resonant excitation of the Si-H vibrational stretch mode.
abstract: Past efforts to achieve selective bond scission by vibrational excitation have been thwarted by energy thermalization. Here we report resonant photodesorption of hydrogen from a Si(111) surface using tunable infrared radiation. The wavelength dependence of the desorption yield peaks at 0.26 electron volt: the energy of the Si-H vibrational stretch mode. The desorption yield is quadratic in the infrared intensity. A strong H/D isotope effect rules out thermal desorption mechanisms, and electronic effects are not applicable in this low-energy regime. A molecular mechanism accounting for the desorption event remains elusive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Zhiheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Tolk
authors.forename: Zhenyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Cohen