VIBRATIONALLY ASSISTED DIRECT DISSOCIATIVE CHEMISORPTION OF DEUTERATED METHANE AND ETHANE ON IR(110)

We have observed vibrationally assisted chemisorption of C2D6 and CD4 on Ir(110). Using vibrationally hot supersonic beams, we observed a de crease in the translational energy required for the onset of measurabl e dissociative chemisorption as compared to room temperature beams, an d we also observed a relatively sudden increase in the probability of chemisorption at the onset, followed by a gradual leveling off at an e nhancement in the probability of approximately 0.05.