Image-potential states on Ni(111) measured by inverse-photoemission spectroscopy

Momentum resolution in inverse photoemission

We present a method to determine the electron beam divergence, and thus the momentum resolution, of an inverse-photoemission setup directly from a series of spectra measured on Cu(111). Simulating these spectra with different beam divergences shows a distinct influence of the divergence on the appearance of the Shockley surface state. Upon crossing the Fermi level, its rise in intensity can be directly linked with the beam divergence. A comparison of measurement and simulation enables us to quantify the momentum resolution independent of surface quality, energy resolution, and experimental geometry. With spin resolution, a single spectrum taken around the Fermi momentum of a spin-split surface state, e.g., on Au(111), is sufficient to derive the momentum resolution of an inverse-photoemission setup.

Electron Transfer Dynamics from Organic Adsorbate to a Semiconductor Surface: Zinc Phthalocyanine on TiO2(110)

The femtosecond time evolutions of excited states in zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPC) films and at the interface with TiO2(110) have been studied by using time-resolved two-photon photoelectron spectroscopy (TR-2PPE). The excited states are prepared in the first singlet excited state (S1) with excess vibrational energy. Two different films are examined: ultrathin (monolayer) and thick films of approximately 30 A in thickness. The decay behavior depends on the thickness of the film. In the case of the thick film, TR-2PPE spectra are dominated by the signals from ZnPC in the film. The excited states decay with tau = 118 fs mainly by intramolecular vibrational relaxation. After the excited states cascaded down to near the bottom of the S1 manifold, they decay slowly (tau = 56 ps) although the states are located at above the conduction band minimum of the bulk TiO2. The exciton migration in the thick film is the rate-determining step for the electron transfer from the film to the bulk TiO2. In the case of the ultrathin film, the contribution of electron transfer is more evident. The excited states decay faster than those in the thick film, because the electron transfer competes with the intramolecular relaxation processes. The electronic coupling with empty bands in the conduction band of TiO2 plays an important role in the electron transfer. The lower limit of the electron-transfer rate was estimated to be 1/296 fs(-1). After the excited states relax to the states whose energy is below the conduction band minimum of TiO2, they decay much more slowly because the electron-transfer channel is not available for these states.