Pulsed laser optoacoustic spectroscopy in the study of surface adsorbate structure and dynamics.

The use of the optoacoustic effect to measure pulsed laser absorption is discussed with emphasis on applications to spectroscopy, dynamics, and energetics of absorbed species. Examples of monolayer absorption spectroscopy to elucidate the microscopic details of Langmuir-Blodgett film melting, organometallic adsorbate photochemistry and laser chemical vapor deposition of aluminum are included. The suitability of the technique to measure picosecond transient dynamics is demonstrated. The first measurements of picosecond transient bleaching using optoacoustic detection are presented, including electronic relaxation dynamics of adsorbed films. The calorimetric capabilities of optoacoustic spectroscopy are also reviewed.