Molecular beam study of N2 dissociation on Ru(0001)

Abstract

Using supersonic molecular beams the sticking coefficient of N₂ on Ru(0001) has been measured as a function of translational and vibrational energy. The results obtained are in striking contrast to sticking coefficients obtained under thermal conditions where steps on the Ru(0001) surface were found to dominate the dissociative sticking of N₂. The results reported here suggest that the beam is probing the terrace atoms and thus a reaction pathway, which is not viable under conditions relevant for ammonia synthesis.