Abstract

The dynamics of photoexcited electrons and their interaction with adsorbates is of fundamental importance for many photostimulated reactions at metal surfaces. Such reactions are frequently mediated by 'hot' substrate electrons and the corresponding reaction cross sections will, therefore, depend critically on the charge carrier dynamics in the near surface region. On the other hand the perturbation of the local electronic structure by an adsorbate may allow to alter lifetimes of electronically excited states at surfaces.

© 1996 Optical Society of America