Stability of Negative Ions near the Surface of a Solid

D. I. Zhukhovitskiia,*, W. F. Schmidtb , and E. Illenbergerb

aJoint Institute for High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences,
Izhorskaya ul. 13/19, Moscow, 125412 Russia

bInstitut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Freie Universität Berlin D-14195,
Berlin, Germany

Abstract—Stationary states of molecular negative ions (anions) near the surface of a solid are investigated. The
lone electron is assumed to interact with a diatomic molecule and the surface of the solid. The energies of elec-
tron levels are determined by solving the 2D Schrödinger equation. It is shown that its stable solutions exist at
distances from the surface greater than some critical distance, otherwise the electron is detached from the anion.
In the case of attraction between the electron and the solid, the interaction potential between the anion and the
solid appears to have the Lennard–Jones form and the ion is separated from the surface by some equilibrium
distance.


Back to homepage