Desorption Kinetics of Alkali Metal Atoms from Transition Metal Surfaces

Abstract

There are three standard models used to characterize desorption kinetics from surfaces: the Polanyi-Wigner, Elovich, and Albano model. The current models of desorption are very limited in their scope and accuracy. Each of these models falls short for alkali metals on transition metal surfaces, and as such, new models need to be developed. Two models are proposed, one that utilizes the dipole moment, µ, to characterize the system and another that utilizes the work function, ø, to characterize the system. These models use experimentally determined properties to provide both a more accurate model for desorption and an avenue for fundamental understanding of the system itself. Both of these models are more successful than the current models, but the ø model is more robust than the µ model. Although the ø model is better than the previous models, additional work must be completed to further characterize and model the complicated desorption kinetics found in alkali systems along with more complicated systems.