Initiation of Surface Processes by Resonance IR Laser Excitation—State and Perspectives

A possibility to initiate surface reactions by resonant IR laser radiation has been studied. Several systems have been tried, including those with linkage isomerism, such as CO bound to cations in zeolites, decomposition of adsorbed unstable molecules like ozone or HN3, reactions of vibrationally excited molecules with coadsorbed species, or the effect of resonance excitation of hydroazide acid HN3 upon its ability to induce the protonation of dimethylpyridine adsorbed on silanol groups of silica. In almost all the experiments, the changes caused by irradiation were weak, and isotopic selectivity was rather poor. The choice of systems and possible ways to improve their characteristics are discussed as well as the perspectives of their usage for isotope separation or other practical tasks.