Laser stimulated desorption from noble metal surfaces reacted with chlorine

The reaction behavior of Cu, Ag and Au exposed to Cl2 and the laser stimulated desorption (chemical etching) of the chlorinated surfaces have been studied. The desorption yields and the mass and velocity distributions of desorbed particles due to irradiation by visible and ultraviolet laser pulses are determined by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The study reveals desorption mass distributions very different from the thermal process and the desorbed atomic and molecular species possessing very high kinetic energies. The possible electronic excitation mechanisms are discussed. © 1986.