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Science 9 January 1998:
Vol. 279. no. 5348, pp. 190 - 191
DOI: 10.1126/science.279.5348.190
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Research Commentaries

Also see the archival list of Science's Compass: Research commentaries

CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS:
Enhanced: Self-Trapping of Electrons at Surfaces

Ulrich Höfer

Electrons in solid materials can deform the surrounding atomic lattice in a way that can trap the electron. These excitations are called polarons and are important in the physical properties of conducting polymers and superconductors. In his commentary, Höfer discusses results reported in the same issue by Ge et al. in which ultrafast lasers were used to probe the behavior of these polarons in a layer of alkane on top of a metal substrate. The experiments have revealed the dynamics of electrons at surfaces with unprecedented detail, and the technique may have applications in fields such as photosynthesis research.

The author is at the Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, D-85740 Garching, Germany. E-mail: hoefer{at}mpq.mpg.de

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)