In this research project, supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, Professor Jacobs will carry out studies of the dynamics of molecular ion scattering from well characterized surfaces. The goal of this work is to explore the detailed dynamics of charge transfer, energy transfer, dissociation, and abstraction reactions of molecular ions at metal and semiconductor surfaces. State selected molecular ions are made to collide wth a well characterized solid surface, and product yields and angle-resolved velocity distributions are measured in a novel experimental apparatus. Detailed information about the reaction coordinate for the ion surface collision can be extracted from these measurements. %%% When a molecular ion collides with a surface, a number of possible processes can occur. A detailed understanding of these processes is important to an understanding of electronic materials processing, space science, and thin film synthesis of novel materials. This research project explores the detailed dynamics of ion surface collisions, using state selected incident ions and state specific detection of scattered ions. A very complete picture of the ion collision process emerges from these studies.
