An HCl molecular beam incident on MgO(100) is photoexcited to v = 2, J = 1
by using a pulsed parametric oscillator. At a translational energy of 0.11
eV, incident HCl is adsorbed. Thermal desorption yields v = 2 molecules who
se rotational and translational degrees of freedom are equilibrated at the
surface temperature. Surface residence times for v = 2 might be as long as
1 mu s. At 180 K, it is concluded that a large fraction of surface-bound v
= 2 molecules reenter the gas phase, while at 120 K, deactivation exceeds d
esorption by an order of magnitude. Deactivation probably takes place at st
eps. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.