Surface temperature effects on the dynamics of N2 Eley-Rideal recombination on W(100)

Six-dimensional quantum dynamics of an Eley-Rideal reaction between gaseous and adsorbed hydrogen atoms on Cu(111)

In the form of direct abstraction of a surface adsorbate by a gaseous projectile, the Eley-Rideal (ER) reaction at the gas-surface interface manifests interesting dynamics. Unfortunately, high-dimensional quantum dynamical (QD) studies for ER reactions remain very challenging, which demands a large configuration space and the coordinate transformation of wavefunctions. Here, we report the first six-dimensional (6D) fully coupled quantum scattering method for studying the ER reaction between gas phase H(D) atoms and adsorbed D(H) atoms on a rigid Cu(111) surface. Reaction probabilities and product rovibrational state distributions obtained by this 6D model are found to be quite different from those obtained by reduced-dimensional QD models, demonstrating the high-dimensional nature of the ER reaction. Using two distinct potential energy surfaces (PESs), we further discuss the influence of the PES on the calculated product vibrational and rotational state distributions, in comparison with experimental results. The lateral corrugation and the exothermicity of the PES are found to play a critical role in controlling the energy disposal in the ER reaction.

Energy dissipation to tungsten surfaces upon hot-atom and Eley–Rideal recombination of H2

Adiabatic and nonadiabatic quasi-classical molecular dynamics simulations are performed to investigate the role of electron–hole pair excitations in hot-atom and Eley–Rideal H₂ recombination mechanisms on H-covered W(100). The influence of the surface structure is analyzed by comparing with previous results for W(110).

Eley-rideal reactions with N atoms at Ru(0001): formation of NO and N(2)

Forward-directed NO molecules with large translational energies are formed upon exposure of an O-covered Ru(0001) surface to a nitrogen (N+N_{2}) beam. This is an unequivocal experimental demonstration of the Eley-Rideal reaction for a "heavy" (i.e., nonhydrogenated) neutral system. The time dependence of prompt NO formation exhibits an exceptionally fast decay as a consequence of shifting reaction pathways and probabilities over the course of the exposure. Prompt production shuts down as the O coverage decreases due to competition from more favorable Eley-Rideal production of N_{2}.