Scattering of NO molecules from a diamond (110) surface

The translational, rotational, and vibrational dependencies of NO molecules scattered from a diamond (110) surface have been investigated for a series of scattering geometries. The integral and state selected angular distributions of the scattered molecules have been measured. In the exit channel the velocities of molecules in selected states as well as the rotational population distributions in the two lowest vibrational states (ν=0,1) were analyzed for a variety of incoming energies (200 cm−1≤Ekin≤2600 cm−1), scattering angles, and surface temperatures. Molecules with a fast incoming velocity and a rotational energy of Erot≤1000 cm−1 after scattering (about 75% of all molecules) exhibit an elastic interaction with the surface (no energy exchange with the surface, Ekin+Erot=const). For molecules receiving higher rotational energy during the scattering process (Erot≥1000 cm−1) an increasing influence of the surface temperature on their final rotational and translational motion was found. For slow incoming...