TY - JOUR A1 - Dell'Angela, M. A1 - Anniyev, Toyli A1 - Beye, Martin A1 - Coffee, Ryan A1 - Föhlisch, Alexander A1 - Gladh, J. A1 - Katayama, T. A1 - Kaya, S. A1 - Krupin, O. A1 - LaRue, J. A1 - Mogelhoj, A. A1 - Nordlund, D. A1 - Norskov, J. K. A1 - Oberg, H. A1 - Ogasawara, H. A1 - Ostrom, H. A1 - Pettersson, Lars G. M. A1 - Schlotter, W. F. A1 - Sellberg, J. A. A1 - Sorgenfrei, Florian A1 - Turner, J. J. A1 - Wolf, M. A1 - Wurth, W. A1 - Nilsson, A. T1 - Real-time observation of surface bond breaking with an X-ray Laser T2 - Science N2 - We used the Linac Coherent Light Source free-electron x-ray laser to probe the electronic structure of CO molecules as their chemisorption state on Ru(0001) changes upon exciting the substrate by using a femtosecond optical laser pulse. We observed electronic structure changes that are consistent with a weakening of the CO interaction with the substrate but without notable desorption. A large fraction of the molecules (30%) was trapped in a transient precursor state that would precede desorption. We calculated the free energy of the molecule as a function of the desorption reaction coordinate using density functional theory, including van der Waals interactions. Two distinct adsorption wells-chemisorbed and precursor state separated by an entropy barrier-explain the anomalously high prefactors often observed in desorption of molecules from metals. Y1 - 2013 UR - https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/35143 SN - 0036-8075 VL - 339 IS - 6125 SP - 1302 EP - 1305 PB - American Assoc. for the Advancement of Science CY - Washington ER -