title: CO (a3Π) quenching at a metal surface: Evidence of an electron transfer mediated mechanism.
abstract: We observe a strong influence of molecular vibration and surface temperature on electron emission promoted by the de-excitation of metastable CO(a(3)Π) on a clean Au(111) surface using a molecular beam surface scattering apparatus. The de-excitation is independent of incidence translational energy. These observations appear incompatible with existing theories of metastable particle de-excitation on metal surfaces, which are based on the Auger effect. Instead, they strongly suggest a mechanism involving formation of a transient anion whose lifetime is similar to the vibrational period of the CO molecule.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut Für Biophysikalische Chemie, Karl Friedrich-Bonhoeffer-Institut, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grätz
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut Für Biophysikalische Chemie, Karl Friedrich-Bonhoeffer-Institut, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Engelhart
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut Für Biophysikalische Chemie, Karl Friedrich-Bonhoeffer-Institut, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Roman J V
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Abteilung Molekülphysik, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut Für Biophysikalische Chemie, Karl Friedrich-Bonhoeffer-Institut, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Alec M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wodtke
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut Für Biophysikalische Chemie, Karl Friedrich-Bonhoeffer-Institut, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schäfer