Ultrafast adsorbate excitation probed with sub-ps resolution XAS

We use a pump-probe scheme to measure the time evolution of the C K-edge X-ray absorption spectrum (XAS) from CO/Ru(0001) after excitation by an ultrashort high-intensity optical laser pulse. Due to the short duration of the X-ray probe pulse and precise control of the pulse delay, the excitation-induced dynamics during the first ps after the pump can be resolved with unprecedented time resolution. By comparing with theoretical (DFT) spectrum calculations we find high excitation of the internal stretch and frustrated rotation modes occurring within 200 fs of laser excitation, as well as thermalization of the system in the ps regime. The ~100 fs initial excitation of these CO vibrational modes is not readily rationalized by traditional theories of nonadiabatic coupling of adsorbates to metal surfaces, e. g. electronic frictions based on first order electron-phonon coupling or transient population of adsorbate resonances. We suggest that coupling of the adsorbate to non-thermalized electron-hole pairs is responsible for the ultrafast initial excitation of the modes.Comment: 16 pages, 16 figures. To be published in Physical Review Letters: https://journals.aps.org/prl/accepted/c1070Y74M8b18063d9cd0221b000631d50ef7a24

Ultrafast Adsorbate Excitation Probed with Subpicosecond-Resolution X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy

We use a pump-probe scheme to measure the time evolution of the C K-edge x-ray absorption spectrum from CO/Ru(0001) after excitation by an ultrashort high-intensity optical laser pulse. Because of the short duration of the x-ray probe pulse and precise control of the pulse delay, the excitation-induced dynamics during the first picosecond after the pump can be resolved with unprecedented time resolution. By comparing with density functional theory spectrum calculations, we find high excitation of the internal stretch and frustrated rotation modes occurring within 200 fs of laser excitation, as well as thermalization of the system in the picosecond regime. The ∼100  fs initial excitation of these CO vibrational modes is not readily rationalized by traditional theories of nonadiabatic coupling of adsorbates to metal surfaces, e.g., electronic frictions based on first order electron-phonon coupling or transient population of adsorbate resonances. We suggest that coupling of the adsorbate to nonthermalized electron-hole pairs is responsible for the ultrafast initial excitation of the modes

Atom-Specific Probing of Electron Dynamics in an Atomic Adsorbate by Time-Resolved X-Ray Spectroscopy

The electronic excitation occurring on adsorbates at ultrafast timescales from optical lasers that initiate surface chemical reactions is still an open question. Here, we report the ultrafast temporal evolution of x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) of a simple well-known adsorbate prototype system, namely carbon (C) atoms adsorbed on a nickel [Ni(100)] surface, following intense laser optical pumping at 400 nm. We observe ultrafast (∼100  fs) changes in both XAS and XES showing clear signatures of the formation of a hot electron-hole pair distribution on the adsorbate. This is followed by slower changes on a few picoseconds timescale, shown to be consistent with thermalization of the complete C/Ni system. Density functional theory spectrum simulations support this interpretation

Atom-Specific Probing of Electron Dynamics in an Atomic Adsorbate by Time-Resolved X-ray Spectroscopy

The electronic excitation occurring on adsorbates at ultrafast time scales from optical lasers that initiate surface chemical reactions is still an open question. Here, we report the ultrafast temporal evolution of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) of a simple well known adsorbate prototype system, namely carbon (C) atoms adsorbed on a nickel (Ni(100)) surface, following intense laser optical pumping at 400 nm. We observe ultrafast (~100 fs) changes in both XAS and XES showing clear signatures of the formation of a hot electron-hole pair distribution on the adsorbate. This is followed by slower changes on a few ps time scale, shown to be consistent with thermalization of the complete C/Ni system. Density functional theory spectrum simulations support this interpretation.Comment: 33 pages, 12 figures. Submitted to Physical Review Letter

Symmetry-Resolved CO Desorption and Oxidation Dynamics on O/Ru(0001) Probed at the C K-edge by Ultrafast X-Ray Spectroscopy

We report on carbon monoxide desorption and oxidation induced by 400 nm femtosecond laser excitation on the O/Ru(0001) surface probed by time-resolved x-ray absorption spectroscopy (TR-XAS) at the carbon K-edge. The experiments were performed under constant background pressures of CO (6 × 10−8 Torr) and O2 (3 × 10−8 Torr). Under these conditions, we detect two transient CO species with narrow 2π* peaks, suggesting little 2π* interaction with the surface. Based on polarization measurements, we find that these two species have opposing orientations: (1) CO favoring a more perpendicular orientation and (2) CO favoring a more parallel orientation with respect to the surface. We also directly detect gas-phase CO2 using a mass spectrometer and observe weak signatures of bent adsorbed CO2 at slightly higher x-ray energies than the 2π* region. These results are compared to previously reported TR-XAS results at the O K-edge, where the CO background pressure was three times lower (2 × 10−8 Torr) while maintaining the same O2 pressure. At the lower CO pressure, in the CO 2π* region, we observed adsorbed CO and a distribution of OC–O bond lengths close to the CO oxidation transition state, with little indication of gas-like CO. The shift toward “gas-like” CO species may be explained by the higher CO exposure, which blocks O adsorption, decreasing O coverage and increasing CO coverage. These effects decrease the CO desorption barrier through dipole–dipole interaction while simultaneously increasing the CO oxidation barrier

Tensor products, Fusion rules and su(2) Representations

In this master thesis I have looked on two different kinds of representations of the Lie algebras su(2) and sl(2), and the tensor products of the representations. In the first case I looked at a tensor product involving a representation similar to one that appears in an article by A. van Tonder. This representation and tensor product was investigated mainly to get a good comprehension in the subject and to understand some of the problems that can arise. In the other case, which is the main problem in this thesis, I looked at a tensor product and representations that appears in an article by M. R. Gaberdiel. Here we deal with a tensor product of representations of su(2) with a specific value for the level at k = -4/3 and a specific eigenvalue of the Casimir operator at -2/9. This was done in the frame of finite dimensional Lie algebra and affine Lie algebra and not in the case of fusion rules as in the article by M. R. Gaberdiel. In both cases some of the calculations where done from in situ and the investigation of the representations behaviour due to the step operators, theirs eigenvalue and theirs weight system. Results and conclusions of the investigations are discussed in the last part of this thesis.

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Low-Energy Electron Diffraction Studies of Quantum Wires on Si(332)

In this master thesis I have investigated one-dimensional nanostructures, so called quantum wires. The goal was to grow them in situ on a stepped silicon surface and thereafter do several kinds of measurements, like Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, Low-Energy Electron Diffraction and Photoemission. The surface that was used was a Si(332) surface and the metals used in the growth of the quantum wires were gold and silver. After the preparation and measurement of the stepped surface, evaporation of silver and gold was performed. The Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy measurments were done on both Ag/Si(332) and Au/Si(332) surfaces. This gave information about the local density of stats on the surfaces and possible bandgaps. All experiments were performed in ultra high vacuum, except the sample cutting and the first cleaning of the surface, which was done after the Shiraki method

Bonding and Desorption Mechanismsof CO on Metal Surfaces

I have investigated two different systems CO/Fe(100) and CO/Ru(0001), toobtain new information on the binding and desorption processes. The twodifferent systems have served as a model system, one for a static examination,CO on iron, and for the dynamic case, CO on ruthenium. To perform theseinvestigations, several types of techniques have been used such as, X-rayabsorption spectroscopy, X-ray emission spectroscopy, and femtosecond laserinduced desorption techniques such as two-pulse correlation. For the CO/Fe(100) system, we found that the on-top CO “1 phase” canbe described by the Blyholder-Nilsson-Pettersson model. The pre-dissociativephase of CO bound at hollow sites, “3 phase”, can be described in a Dewar-Chatt-Duncanson like picture. For the CO/Ru(0001) system, it was found that all our data could be fitted from an empirical friction heat bath model. Moreover, it turned out, thatthere is a strong frictional coupling to the substrate electrons and phonons

Ultrafast Probing of CO Reactions on Metal Surfaces : Changes in the molecular orbitals during the catalysis process

This thesis presents experimental studies of three different chemical reaction steps relevant for heterogeneous catalysis: dissociation, desorption, and oxidation. CO on single-crystal metal surfaces was chosen as the model systems. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) provide information about the electronic structure, and were performed on CO/Fe to measure both a non-dissociative, and a pre-dissociative state. The measurement on the pre-dissociative state showed a π →  π* excitation, which implies a partly broken internal π bond in the molecule. Ultrafast laser-induced reactions were used to examine the dynamic properties of desorption and oxidation. Here CO/Ru and CO/O/Ru were used as model systems. Desorption of CO from a Ru surface involve both hot electrons and phonons. In the case of CO oxidation from CO/O/Ru a pronounced wavelength dependence of the branching ratio between desorption and oxidation was observed. Excitation with 400 nm showed a factor of 3-4 higher selectivity towards oxidation than 800 nm. This was attributed to coupling to transiently excited, non-thermalized electrons. Finally, by performing optical pump/x-ray probe XAS and XES changes in the electronic structure during the reaction could be followed, both for desorption and oxidation. In the CO/Ru experiment, two different transient excitation paths were observed, one leading to a precursor state, and one where CO moves into a more highly coordinated site. Using selective excitation in XES, these were shown to coexist on the surface. In the oxidation experiment, probing the reacting species located near the transition state region in an associative catalytic surface reaction was demonstrated for the very first time