Role of interdimer interactions in NH3 dissociation on Si(100)-(2 x 1)

The dissociation of NH3 on Si(100)-(2 x 1) is investigated by a combination of infrared absorption spectroscopy and density functional cluster calculations, revealing that this reaction is governed by a complex set of interdimer interactions involving both bare and adsorbate-covered Si dimers. We propose that such adsorbate-induced changes in the electronic structure of neighboring dimers may have general implications for controlling the two-dimensional ordering of reactions on the dimerized Si(100) surface.