The mechanism of vibrational excitation in NO scattering on Ag(111)

Abstract

Classical trajectory calculations of NO scattering on Ag(111) have been performed using a model potential energy surface to describe the molecule-substrate interaction. It is shown that appreciable vibrational excitation can be obtained using potential energy surfaces which correctly describe other known properties of the NO-Ag(111) interaction. The question whether the experiments allow the discrimination between direct excitation, as proposed in our model, and excitation by thermal electron-hole pairs from the substrate conduction band, is discussed.