Associative electron stimulated desorption of neutral CO molecules

The Electron Stimulated Desorption (ESD) of neutral CO molecules was studied on polycrystalline Ni surface. Combined ESD and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) measurements were used to observe the variations of neutral ESD yield in dependence on CO coverage, containing direct information about the cross section for ESD of neutral CO molecules in relation to various CO adsorption states. The results show evidence of ESD of neutral CO molecules from dissociative adsorption states. The cross section for this associative ESD process is relatively high in comparison with the CO ESD cross section for molecular CO adsorption. This work was supported by the Czech Grant Agency under the Grant No. 202/99/1714 and by the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports under the Project No. VS97116.