Abstract

The interaction of intense, ultrashort laser pulses with molecular adsorbate/metal substrate systems is of current experimental and theoretical interest. In such an interaction, the laser pulse produces high temperature electrons in the substrate while only slightly raising the lattice temperature. For example, a 100-fs, 800-nm, 5-mJ/cm² absorbed pulse produces a peak electron temperature rise of 5100 K within 150 fs, and a peak lattice temperature rise of only 135 K, after four picoseconds. The interaction of these substrate electrons with the adsorbate produces molecular desorption and dissociation.

© 1994 Optical Society of America