Molecular beam studies of vibrational energy transfer and vibrational activation in molecule-surface collisions

Abstract

We review a number of recent molecular beam experiments which have probed various aspects of the dynamics of gas-surface collisions involving vibrationally excited molecules. In particular we are concerned with the related processes of vibrational excitation and quenching at surfaces, where in the latter case we include reactive quenching in which the vibrational energy serves to promote molecular dissociation. Specifically we considered the vibrational excitation and relaxation of NO, the excitation of NH 3 and the dissociative chemisorption of N 2 and CH 4 and CO 2.