Abstract

Recently, photon-driven processes at adsorbate substrate interfaces has received considerable attention in the research community and for both fundamental and practical reasons. Among the most recent avenues being pursued is photochemistry at adsorbate-metal interfaces where bond breaking within the adsorbate, surface rearrangement, reaction with coadsorbates, and adsorbate desorption have all been observed in systems where thermal effects can be ruled out. Thus, the quenching of electronically excited states by metallic substrates does not always overwhelm, bond breaking processes.

© 1991 Optical Society of America