Dissociation of physisorbed H2 through low-energy electron scattering resonances.
Electron induced dissociation of physisorbed H2, HD, and D2 proceeds, as we observe in electron energy-loss measurements of the resulting atomic species, with a high quantum efficiency via the 2Σg(+) core excited electron scattering resonances. We find that the predominant decay of the temporary H2(-) state to the neutral excited 3Σu(+) parent state, which is intramolecularly antibonding, provides a sufficiently long-lived channel for dissociation to occur with high probability, even in the proximity of a metal surface.
Andersson
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S
Department of Physics, Göteborg University, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden.
Svensson
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K