THE THERMAL AND ELECTRON-INDUCED CHEMISTRY OF N2O AG(111)/

The thermal and electron-induced chemistry of N2O on Ag(111) was exami ned using temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and Auger electron s pectroscopy (AES). N2O adsorbs and desorbs molecularly with multilayer and monolayer desorption temperatures of 86 and 94-102 K, respectivel y. No thermal decomposition was observed. Irradiation with SD and 2500 eV electrons at 83 K causes partial decomposition of multilayers; N-2 desorbs during irradiation, and O-2 desorption, at 530 K, is observed in post-irradiation TPD. Only O and Ag are detected by AES alter Bash ing irradiated samples to 500 K; O disappears above 700 K. Incident an d secondary electrons can account for the observed surface chemistry a nd the latter can account for reported N2O decomposition in X-ray phot oelectron measurements. For monolayer coverages, irradiated with 50 eV electrons, there is no dissociation, an effect attributed to substrat e quenching.