Chirality Detection of Surface Desorption Products using Photoelectron Circular Dichroism
by Georg Westphal
Date of Examination:2022-03-03
Date of issue:2022-03-16
Advisor:Prof. Dr. Alec M. Wodtke
Referee:Prof. Dr. Alec M. Wodtke
Referee:Prof. Dr. Dirk Schwarzer
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Abstract
English
In this thesis, I demonstrate the combination of chirality detection via photoelectron circular dichroism with surface scattering experiments and present a novel molecular beam surface science apparatus, specially designed for this type of experiment. Chiral molecules can be ionized via different resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization schemes by using tunable ns- or fs-lasers. Ionization products can either be detected via time-of-flight mass spectroscopy, velocity map imaging at a single ion mass or photoelectron angular distributions. Therefore a lot of controllable parameters are available to characterize the sample in the incident molecular beam and desorption products of either scattering or temperature programmed desorption experiments. Photoelectron angular distributions after ionization with circularly polarized light provide information on the enantiomeric excess of desorption products. The first part of my PhD thesis was the construction and set up of the new apparatus called "chiral beamer", equipped for above mentioned measuring techniques. As a proof of principle experiment, fenchone was used in desorption experiments on Ag(111), because no chemical interaction was expected and fenchone is a benchmark molecule for photoelectron circular dichroism experiments. With velocity resolved desorption kinetics experiments, desorption parameters were determined to be Ea = 0.52 eV and A = 1.5 E11 s^(-1). Similar kinetics can be found in temperature programmed desorption experiments. The chirality of incident beam and desorbing molecules was probed via photoelectron circular dichroism measurements. For both types of surface interaction experiments a forward/backward asymmetry can be detected, resembling incident beam measurements. This shows, that performing photoelectron circular dichroism measurements in scattering- and desorption experiments is a viable option of probing the chirality of desorption products. These experimental tools can be used to compare the surface interaction of two potentially reactive, chiral molecules with an Ag(111) surface and whether they retain their chirality after desorption. Styrene oxide proofed to react on an Ag(111) surface and propylene oxide was used as an alkylic comparison. Using ns- and fs-laser ionization in temperature programmed desorption experiments of styrene oxide on Ag(111) and detecting desorption products via time-of-flight mass spectroscopy, I can assign desorption peaks unambiguously to styrene oxide 250 K and phenylacetaldehyde 485 K. Desorption parameters of Ea = 0.89 eV and A = 4.6 E15 s^(-1) were determined in velocity resolved desorption kinetics experiments. No change of chirality could be detected in scattering and temperature programmed desorption experiments. For propylene oxide (2+1) and (3+1) resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization schemes were characterized via photoelectron spectroscopy in the incident molecular beam using a tunable fs-laser. With desorption parameters of Ea = 0.4 eV, A = 3.2 E13 s^(-1) and a low desorption temperature from Ag(111) a physisorbed adsorption state could be assigned for propylene oxide at Ag(111). Probing the chirality of desorbing propylene oxide, no change of enantiomeric excess could be found in scattering and temperature programmed desorption experiments. For future experiments, this machine is already equipped with a second molecular beam nozzle for characterizing desorption products from heterogeneous catalysis like oxidation on chiral surfaces and probing the enantiomeric excess of reaction products.
Keywords: Dynamics at Surfaces; Ion Imaging; Velocity Map Imaging; Photoelectron Circular Dichroism; Molecular Beam Surface Scattering; REMPI; Fenchone; Styrene Oxide; Propylene Oxide; Chirality Detection; Photoelectron Spectroscopy; Ag(111); Supersonic Molecular Beam; Temperature Programmed Desorption; Surface Reaction