Search for oscillations in the translational energy dependence of the dissociation of H 2 on Pd(100)

• Published in: Chemical physics letters Vol. 253; no. 3; pp. 236 - 240
• Main Authors: Rettner, C.T., Auerbach, D.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 03.05.1996
• ISSN: 0009-2614; 1873-4448
• DOI: 10.1016/0009-2614(96)00253-9

Recent calculations of the variation of the probability of dissociative chemisorption, S 0, of H 2 on Pd(100) and on W(100) predict distinct oscillations in this probability with increasing translational energy, E i, at low energy. We have searched for these oscillations in the H 2/Pd(100) system using a novel molecular beam scattering method. No oscillations could be found. We find that S 0 falls monotonically with increasing E i up to ∼0.1 eV. Any deviations from this monotonic fall represent changes in S 0 of <1% and <3% for H 2( J = 1, v = 0) and H 2( J = 0, v = 0), respectively, at a surface temperature of 80 K. We discuss the possibility that surface motion is responsible for averaging away structure in S 0 versus E i.