Vibrationally promoted electron emission at a metal surface: electron kinetic energy distributions

Abstract

We report the first direct measurement of the kinetic energy of exoelectrons produced by collisions of vibrationally excited molecules with a low work function metal surface exhibiting electron excitations of 64% (most probable) and 95% (maximum) of the initial vibrational energy. This remarkable efficiency for vibrational-to-electronic energy transfer is in good agreement with previous results suggesting the coupling of multiple vibrational quanta to a single electron.