Laser probes of molecule-surface dynamics

State resolved laser probe techniques which are capable of measuring molecular internal state distributions, previously quite popular techniques in gas phase scattering, are now proving to be powerful means to study molecule-surface dynamics as well. This paper discusses the application of such techniques to the inelastic scattering of NO from a Ag(111) surface. A variety of dynamic interactions are observed; rotational and electronic excitation, rotational trapping, rotational alignment, trapping-desorption, etc. © 1983.