Chemisorption of H2 on W(100): Absolute sticking probability,coverage, and electron stimulated desorption

Measurements of both the absolute sticking probability near normal incidence and the coverage of H₂ adsorbed on W(100) at ~ 300K have been made using a precision gas dosing system; a known fraction of the molecules entering the vacuum chamber struck the sample crystal before reaching a mass spectrometer detector. The initial sticking probability S₀ for H₂/W(100) is 0.51 ± 0.03; the hydrogen coverage extrapolated to S = 0 is 2.0 × 10¹⁵ atoms cm^?2. The initial sticking probability S₀ for D₂/W(100) is 0.57 ± 0.03; the isotope effect for sticking probability is smaller than previously reported. Electron stimulated desorption (ESD) studies reveal that the low coverage β₂ hydrogen state on W(100) yields H⁺ ions upon bombardment by 100 eV electrons; the ion desorption cross section is ~ 1.8 × 10^?23 cm². The H⁺ ion cross section at saturation hydrogen coverage when the β₁ state is fully populated is ? 10^?25 cm². An isotope effect in electron stimulated desorption of H⁺ and D⁺ has been found. The H⁺ ion yield is ? 100 × greater than the D⁺ ion yield, in agreement with theory.