Chemisorbed-molecule potential energy surfaces and DIET processes

We report the use of the local-density approximation, with and without gradient corrections, for the calculation of ground-state potential energy surfaces (PESs) for chemisorbed molecules. We focus on chemisorbed NO and ammonia on Pd(1 1 1) and compare our results with the latest experimental information. We then turn to two aspects of excited-state PESs. First, we compare first-principles calculations of the forces on an ammonia ion as a function of distance from the surface. We find that the image-charge model fails significantly at distances which are the most relevant for dynamics, closer than ∼3 Å, and discuss reasons for the failure. We then summarize a purely electronic adiabatic model of the moleuule-surface bond and use empirical parameters to estimate hot carrier-produced excited states of chemisorbed NO. We find multiple PESs and a novel interpretation of the π^* resonance, seen in inverse photoemission.