Issue 32, 2008

Determination of the electron’s solvation site on D2O/Cu(111) using Xe overlayers and femtosecond photoelectron spectroscopy

Abstract

We investigate the binding site of solvated electrons in amorphous D2O clusters and D2O wetting layers adsorbed on Cu(111) by means of two-photon photoelectron (2PPE) spectroscopy. On the basis of different interactions of bulk- or surface-bound solvated electrons with rare gas atoms, titration experiments using Xe overlayers reveal the location of the electron solvation sites. In the case of flat clusters with a height of 2–4 bilayers adsorbed on Cu(111), solvated electrons are found to reside at the ice–vacuum interface, whereas a bulk character is found for solvated electrons in wetting layers. Furthermore, time-resolved experiments are performed to determine the origin of the transition between these different solvation sites with increasing D2O coverage. We employ an empirical model calculation to analyse the rate of electron transfer back to the substrate and the energetic stabilization of the solvated electrons, which allows further insight into the binding site for clusters. We find that the solvated electrons reside at the edges of the clusters. Therefore, we attribute the transition from surface- to bulk-solvation to the coalescence of the clusters to a closed ice film occurring at a nominal coverage of 2–3 BL, while the distance of the binding sites to the metal–ice interface is maintained.

Graphical abstract: Determination of the electron’s solvation site on D2O/Cu(111) using Xe overlayers and femtosecond photoelectron spectroscopy

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
30 Apr 2008
Accepted
12 Jun 2008
First published
04 Jul 2008

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2008,10, 4932-4938

Determination of the electron’s solvation site on D2O/Cu(111) using Xe overlayers and femtosecond photoelectron spectroscopy

M. Meyer, J. Stähler, D. O. Kusmierek, M. Wolf and U. Bovensiepen, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2008, 10, 4932 DOI: 10.1039/B807314G

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