Surface Kinetics with Near Edge X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure

Abstract

This review is focused on the use of soft X-ray absorption methods for characterizing the rates of surface reactions. In order to measure rates of surface reactions it is first necessary to characterize the adsorbed species which are involved in the reaction. A group of methods which together are generally capable of resolving key structural aspects of adsorbed species will be briefly introduced. A brief introduction will then be made for a number of methods used for determining rates of surface reactions. Transient near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) measurements based on electron detection in vacuum will be introduced, and several examples of rate measurements will be discussed in order to highlight the strength of this technique. A brief introduction to fluorescence yield near edge-spectroscopy (FYNES) in the soft X-ray region will then be given. FYNES is an interesting new surface method which can be used to characterize adsorbed species even in the presence of reactive gas. Transient FYNES characterization of the kinetics of CO displacement by hydrogen will then be discussed to highlight the utility of transient surface methods capable of characterizing surface reactions in the presence of reactive environments.KeywordsSurface ReactionSecond Harmonic GenerationAdsorbed SpeciesDisplacement ReactionTemperature Program Desorption SpectrumThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.