Photoinduced desorption of potassium atoms from graphite

We present an experimental and theoretical investigation of desorption of potassium atoms from the basal plane of graphite induced by photons with energies from 2 to 6 eV. The intensity of the photon flux employed in the measurements is low, and the observed photodesorption is a single-photon, non-thermal event. At monolayer coverage the photon-energy dependence of the cross section has a maximum at 4.8 eV. The experimental observations are interpreted in terms of a hot carrier mechanism, which involves attachment of optically excited substrate hot electrons to the empty 4s state of ionized potassium, and then desorption. The theory predicts a Gaussian line shape of the photoyield versus photon energy. Fitting the model parameters to the experimental data, we determine: (i) the potential energy for Gr + K+ and Gr + K-0; and (ii) the position (2.4 eV above the Fermi level) and width (0.15 eV) of the potassium 4s resonance, which is in good agreement with independent experimental observations.