title: Electron damage to supported ice investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy.
abstract: We study the interaction of low-energy electrons with crystalline ice (D2O) on Cu(111) by low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. Electrons induce dissociation of the molecules with a threshold of approximately 3 eV. The large dissociation yield of the order of 10(-8)/electron and the extended area of dissociation are attributed to a shift in conduction band during the dissociation. Voltage dependent differences in imaging of ice and dissociated ice are reflected in the spectroscopic signature.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Festkörperphysik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Appelstrasse 2, D-30167 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehlhorn
authors.forename: Heiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gawronski
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morgenstern