Abstract
Photostimulated desorption (PSD) of Xe atoms from the Au(001) surface in thermal and nonthermal regimes was investigated by the time-of-flight measurement at photon energies of 6.4 and 2.3 eV. Xe was desorbed in a thermal way at high laser fluence, which was in good agreement with theoretical simulations. At a low laser fluence, on the other hand, desorption was induced only at a photon energy of 6.4 eV by a nonthermal one-photon process. We argue that the nonthermal PSD occurs via transient formation of Xe on Au(001). The lifetime of Xe is estimated to be 15 fs with a classical model calculation. Whereas the electron affinity of Xe is negative in the isolated state, it is stabilized by the metal proximity effect.
- Received 5 August 2011
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.84.155412
©2011 American Physical Society