Impact of Electron Solvation on Ice Structures at the Molecular Scale
Sprache des Titels:
Englisch
Original Kurzfassung:
Electron attachment and solvation at ice structures are well-known phenomena. The
energy liberated in such events is commonly understood to cause temporary changes at such ice
structures, but it may also trigger permanent modifications to a yet unknown extent. We determine the
impact of electron solvation on D2O structures adsorbed on Cu(111) with low-temperature scanning
tunneling microscopy, two-photon photoemission, and ab initio theory. Solvated electrons, generated
by ultraviolet photons, lead not only to transient but also to permanent structural changes through the
rearrangement of individual molecules. The persistent changes occur near sites with a high density of
dangling OD groups that facilitate electron solvation. We conclude that energy dissipation during
solvation triggers permanent molecular rearrangement via vibrational excitation.