Abstract

A model potential energy surface describing strongly activated dissociation of a molecule at a metal surface is used to demonstrate that the vibrational-translational energy transfer in the entrance channel can have a very pronounced effect on dissociation probabilities. A continuous feeding of energy from the vibrational to translational coordinates allows the molecule to “bootstrap” its way up the potential hill in the entrance channel and dissociate even when its incident kinetic energy is much smaller than the nominal barrier height. This effect is discussed in connection with the dissociation of H 2 on copper surfaces.

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