Classical trajectory study of the dissociation of hydrogen on copper single crystals: II. Cu(100) and Cu(110)

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We report a second series of classical trajectory calculations for the activated dissociation of hydrogen on copper single crystals. We have modified the empirical interaction potential surface used previously by raising the energy requirements for dissociation, thereby lowering the dissociation probabilities and bringing their magnitudes in line with experiment. Dissociation probabilities on both a Cu(100) and Cu(110) surface for H2 and D2 are computed. The results, while in reasonable magnitude agreement with experiment, still do not fit the experimental translational energy dependence well and do not predict the correct isotope effect for Cu(110). A detailed comparison of the differences between the ground and first vibrationally excited states for the (100) and (110) surfaces suggest that within the approximations of this model calculation, the potential surfaces employed have underestimated the effects of surface roughness in determining the incident energy and angle dependence of the dissociation probabilities.