The effect of large electric field gradients on the Raman optical activity of molecules adsorbed on metal surfaces

The effect of possible large electric field gradients near metal surfaces on the Raman optical activity (ROA) of adsorbed molecules is discussed. It is shown that large gradients would cause unusually high values of the measured circular intensity differences, orders of magnitude higher than those measured in solution. ROA may be used to investigate the existence of field gradients at surfaces and their magnitude.