The dynamics of solvation of an electron in the image potential state by a layer of polar adsorbates

Sebastian, KL and Chakraborty, A and Tachiya, M (2005) The dynamics of solvation of an electron in the image potential state by a layer of polar adsorbates. In: Journal of Chemical Physics, The, 123 (21).

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Abstract

Recently, ultrafast two-photon photoemission has been used to study electron solvation at a two-dimensional metal/polar adsorbate interfaces [A. Miller , Science 297, 1163 (2002)]. The electron is bound to the surface by the image interaction. Earlier we have suggested a theoretical description of the states of the electron interacting with a two-dimensional layer of the polar adsorbate [K. L. Sebastian , J. Chem. Phys. 119, 10350 (2003)]. In this paper we have analyzed the dynamics of electron solvation, assuming a trial wave function for the electron and the solvent polarization and then using the Dirac-Frenkel variational method to determine it. The electron is initially photoexcited to a delocalized state, which has a finite but large size, and causes the polar molecules to reorient. This reorientation acts back on the electron and causes its wave function to shrink, which will cause further reorientation of the polar molecules, and the process continues until the electron gets self-trapped. For reasonable values for the parameters, we are able to obtain fair agreement with the experimental observations. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Journal of Chemical Physics, The
Publisher:	American Institute of Physics
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to American Institute of Physics.
Department/Centre:	Division of Chemical Sciences > Inorganic & Physical Chemistry
Date Deposited:	04 Jun 2010 11:04
Last Modified:	19 Sep 2010 06:01
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/27516

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