title: Vibrational relaxation of NO on Au(111) via electron-hole pair generation.
abstract: Recent experiments have demonstrated the breakdown of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation when NO undergoes inelastic scattering from a Au(111) surface. In this paper, we provide a simple theoretical model for understanding this phenomenon. Our model predicts multiquanta vibrational relaxation through the creation of high-energy electron-hole pair excitations in the metal. Using experimentally determined parameters, our model gives qualitatively accurate predictions for the final vibrational state populations of the scattered molecule and predicts efficient conversion of vibrational energy into electronic energy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shenvi
authors.forename: Sharani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Priya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parandekar
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tully