Photon and Electron Driven Processes at Adsorbate-Metal Interfaces

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The research, in the general area of Analytical and Surface Chemistry, focuses on surface chemistry. The work promises to lead to an understanding of the mechanisms by which the energy of a photon or electron is converted to electronic excitation that leads to bond breaking whithin chemical species attached to a metal surface. Such experiments improve our understanding of surface chemistry which can lead to better catalysts and thus cheaper and better chemical products. Metals such as platinum and silver will be used as substrates and alkyl halides used as model systems for species attached to these substrates. Photon-induced reactions among coadsorbed species (such as oxygen and ethylene) will be examined, as will the effect of laser-induced desorption of chemisorbed species on the metal surface.