Multiquantum vibrational excitation of NO scattered from Au(111): quantitative comparison of benchmark data to ab initio theories of nonadiabatic molecule-surface interactions.

Surface phenomena: measurements of absolute probabilities are reported for the vibrational excitation of NO(v=0→1,2) molecules scattered from a Au(111) surface. These measurements were quantitatively compared to calculations based on ab initio theoretical approaches to electronically nonadiabatic molecule-surface interactions. Good agreement was found between theory and experiment (see picture; T(s) =surface temperature, P=excitation probability, and E=incidence energy of translation).