Lecture
Van Marum Colloquium: Tale of Two Beamers: results from recent improvements in two molecular beam scattering instruments
- Date
- Friday 23 May 2025
- Time
- Location
-
Gorlaeus Building
Einsteinweg 55
2333 CC Leiden - Room
- CM.3.23
Abstract
Molecular beam scattering experiments are attractive in that they often provide very direct access to the elementary processes involved in molecular interactions with surfaces. Recently I have been involved in improvements to two molecular beam scattering instruments, which we refer to fondly as “beamers”.
The first provides state-to-state scattering information on polyatomic molecules scattering from surfaces. Puzzling propensities in the state distributions of molecules after scattering emerge which potentially provide a wealth of data for development of the quantum scattering dynamics and potential energy surfaces. A novel quantum interreference effect analogous to two slit diffraction is useful in understanding these propensities.
The second instrument uses pulsed molecular beams to initiate chemical reactions at surfaces and pulsed laser detection and ion-imaging to provide velocity resolved information on the rates of reaction – “Velocity Resolved Kinetics” or VRK. Recently we greatly improved the data acquisition rate of VRK using multiplex techniques and added the ability to probe chemical reaction intermediates with laser induced desorption. I will discuss the technical improvements and examples on oxidation reactions on Pt and Pd surfaces.