Eur. Phys. J. D 35, 349-353 (2005)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2005-00224-4

Electronic excitation of ice monomers on Au(111) by scanning tunneling microscopy

Vibrational spectra and induced processes

¹ Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Experimentalphysik, Arnimallee 14, 14195 Berlin, Germany
² Institut für Festkörperphysik, Abteilung Oberflächen Appelstr. 2, 30167 Hannover, Germany

Corresponding author: ^a heiko.gawronski@physik.fu-berlin.de

Received: 24 February 2005
Revised: 9 June 2005
Published online: 9 August 2005

Abstract

Scanning tunneling microscopy, inelastic tunneling spectroscopy, and electron induced manipulation are used to investigate electronic excitation of D₂O monomers and small clusters adsorbed at the elbows of the Au(111) reconstruction. Diffusion of molecules, dissociation of clusters, and rearrangement of the reconstruction is induced by electronic excitation. Threshold energies of between 200 and 250 meV and of 446 meV are explained by combined vibrational modes of D₂O molecules. External vibrational modes of D₂O molecules on Au(111) are identified by inelastic tunneling spectroscopy at ≈18, 30, and 41 meV.