Berlin 2024 – scientific programme

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O: Fachverband Oberflächenphysik

O 35: Poster: Surface Reactions

O 35.6: Poster

Tuesday, March 19, 2024, 18:00–20:00, Poster C

CO₂ reduction by trapped electrons at the NH₃/Cu(111) interface. — •Maya Heine, Lukas Gierster, and Julia Stähler — Humboldt Universität zu Berlin

When electrons are photoinjected from a metal substrate into D₂O or NH₃ adlayers they can become trapped and exhibit lifetimes up to minutes. The energetics and dynamics of such trapped electrons have been studied across picoseconds to minute timescales using time-resolved two-photon photoelectron spectroscopy and are well understood [1]. An exciting next step is to investigate the interactions of such electrons with molecules. For example, trapped electrons have already been shown to participate in the water splitting reaction at the amorphous solid water interface [2]. We investigate the interaction of CO₂ with the crystalline NH₃/Cu(111) interface, as much remains to be understood regarding the timescales and energetics of possible reactions of this important molecule. We show first results where we observe quenching of the trapped electron signal and work function modifications upon CO₂ addition, suggesting activation of CO₂ by the trapped electrons.

[1] Stähler et al. Chemical Science 2, no. 5, 907-16 (2011)

[2] King et al. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 121, no. 13,

7379-86 (2017)

Keywords: trapped electrons; ultrafast; two-photon photoelectron spectroscopy