Time-resolved mass-spectrometric study on infrared laser photodesorption of ammonia from Cu(100)

Pulsed-infrared-laser time-of-flight mass spectrometry has been applied to investigate photodesorption of NH3 adsorbed on a Cu(100) surface at 90 K. Desorption from monolayer and multilayer surface coverages due to resonant s stretching vibrational excitation has been observed. Both single-photon and multiphoton excitation processes are examined and the molecule-surface interaction dynamics associated with the desorption phenomenon is discussed. © 1984 The American Physical Society.