Dynamics of D resurfacing on Ni(1 1 1) and reaction with chemisorbed D

Recombination of D atoms resurfacing from the octahedral subsurface site on Ni(1 1 1) has been investigated as a model for the reaction of sub-surface D. The desorbing flux is made up of two components: translationally hot D2 formed in the reaction of energetic D atoms from the subsurface with chemisorbed D and a low energy component attributed to recombination of thermalised D. The D2 product shows no preferred scattering direction, consistent with a ‘hot precusor’ mechanism for reaction. Resurfacing D atoms scatter across the D/Ni(1 1 1) surface, losing any stereochemical memory of the resurfacing site before they react with chemisorbed D.