Electronic transfer processes studied at different time scales by selective resonant core hole excitation of adsorbed molecules

Abstract

Core hole spectroscopy has been shown to provide information on ultrafast charge transfer processes on a time scale of the core hole lifetime. In this paper we present high-resolution autoionization studies of SF6 and thiophene molecules adsorbed on a Ru(001) surface to further illustrate the potential of the so-called core hole clock method. Resonance states with very different core hole lifetimes can be excited with these sulfur-containing molecules. The selection of a specific resonant core hole excitation enables a variation of the time scale for probing electronic as well as nuclear dynamics.