Interaction of Rydberg hydrogen atoms with metal surfaces

Thesis

This thesis presents a theoretical and experimental investigation of the interaction of electronically excited Rydberg hydrogen atoms with metal surfaces and the associated charge-transfer process. As a Rydberg atom approaches a metal surface, the energies of the Rydberg states are perturbed by the surface potential generated by the image charges of the Rydberg electron and core. At small atom-surface separations, the Rydberg atom may be ionised by resonant charge transfer of the Rydberg e...

Expand abstract

Authors: So, E

• Publication date: 2011
• DOI: 10.5287/ora-5jvgeyvjw
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: Oxford University, UK
• Language: English
• Keywords: Rydberg; surface ionisation; Rydberg interaction; charge transfer; image charge; hydrogen atoms; surface interaction; metal surfaces
• Subjects: Physical & theoretical chemistry