| Dynamics of high barrier surface reactions:
| Laser Assisted Associative Desorption of N2 from Ru(0001)

Dynamics of high barrier surface reactions:
Laser Assisted Associative Desorption of N2 from Ru(0001)
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by L. Diekhoner, H. Mortensen, A. Baurichter, A.C. Luntz, and B. Hammer.

Phys. Rev. Lett. **84**, 4906 (2000).

Abstract
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We have determined the dynamics and energetics of associative desorption
of N2 from Ru(0001) using both an experimental technique, laser assisted
associative desorption, and density functional calculations. These show
that N2 is preferentially desorbed into very high vibrational states and
that the barriers between gas phase N2 and adsorbed N atoms increases
from 2 eV to > 3 eV with increasing N coverage on the surface. This
experimental technique is found to be quite insensitive to low barrier
steps and defects which complicate interpretations from other methods of
studying high barrier surface reactions.