Enhancement of the yield of infrared laser dissociation of molecules near a surface with a periodic relief

A considerable enhancement of the yield and a reduction of the threshold of infrared multiphoton dissociation of SiH₄ molecules is predicted theoretically and confirmed experimentally near the surface of a copper grating with a periodic relief. The effect is due to an increase in the local fields as a result of diffraction of bounded light beams by the rough surface under conditions of resonant excitation of surface electromagnetic waves.