Specific channels for electron energy dissipation in the adsorbed system

Abstract

Elastic electron scattering by the adsorbate covered Pt(100) single crystal surface and density of states (DOS) calculations highlight two peculiar channels for the primary electron energy consumption via the conventional threshold core level excitation coupled with particular electron transitions. The first channel affects the substrate atoms and implies Pt DOS shake-off and shake-up transitions and multiple plasmon excitations; the second one includes shake-off processes in the adsorbed layer and enables the valence state structure of the adsorbed species. The mechanism of electron transitions assumes that one-dimensional DOS at the vacuum level, in addition to vacant DOS at the Fermi level, is an active spot for allocation of excited electrons. The observed phenomena are supposed to be the general regularity of electron-solid interaction and a useful tool for fingerprinting the adsorbed layer at molecular level.