Electron-stimulated production of molecular hydrogen at the interfaces of amorphous solid water films on Pt(111)

The electron-stimulated production of molecular hydrogen (D(2), HD, and H(2)) from amorphous solid water (ASW) deposited on Pt(111) is investigated. Experiments with isotopically layered films of H(2)O and D(2)O are used to profile the spatial distribution of the electron-stimulated reactions leading to hydrogen within the water films. The molecular hydrogen yield has two components that have distinct reaction kinetics due to reactions that occur at the ASW/Pt interface and the ASW/vacuum interface, but not in the bulk. However, the molecular hydrogen yield as a function of the ASW film thickness in both pure and isotopically layered films indicates that the energy for the reactions is absorbed in the bulk of the films and electronic excitations migrate to the interfaces where they drive the reactions.