Hyperthermal Chaotic Photodesorption of Xenon from Alumina-Supported Silver Nanoparticles: Plasmonic Coupling and Plasmon-Induced Desorption

Excitation of Xe monolayers on alumina-supported silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by laser light in the (1,0) Mie plasmon resonance can lead to desorption of Xe atoms with hyperthermal energy and chaotic time structure. The chaotic behavior is most likely due to plasmonic coupling between AgNPs. We argue that the desorption is induced by direct energy transfer to the adsorbate from the Pauli repulsion of the collectively oscillating electrons of the plasmon at the surface. A simple model calculation shows that this is possible. A connection between both effects appears likely.