A simple model for associative desorption and dissociative chemisorption

This paper describes a simple model for state resolved associative desorpti on, and by assuming detailed balance, of activated dissociative chemisorpti on. The equations that result from this model are identical to those tradit ionally used empirically in fits to experimental data. This allows better u nderstanding of parameters used to fit experiments and how to compare these with theory. The role of model parameters in describing activated dissocia tion when the barrier is almost exclusively along a vibrational coordinate is also examined. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9606(00)70 740-9].