A method for identifying adsorbed chemical species on a solid surface, or obtaining information about adsorption amounts, adsorption states, and desorption processes from the surface, by measuring pressure changes due to desorbed chemical species and changes in the amount of desorbed chemical species while raising the temperature of the solid surface at a constant rate.

Since measurements are performed while controlling the heating rate, it is also called TPD (temperature-programmed desorption).

While also used to study surface adsorption states on solid powder samples like supported metal catalysts, it is a powerful method for studying adsorption states on single crystal surfaces.

A quadrupole mass spectrometer is often used to identify desorbed chemical species and measure desorption quantities.

The sequence of desorbed molecular species versus temperature is obtained, termed the thermal desorption spectrum.
The heating rate spans a wide range, from flash desorption at 10² to 10³ K/s to the more common 10 to 10⁻² K/s.

Analysis of the shape of the thermal desorption spectrum and changes in spectrum shape when varying the heating rate provides significant insights into the adsorption state.

※Quoted from the Iwanami Shoten Co., Ltd. Dictionary of Science and Technology, 5th Edition, page 643, entry 799: “Temperature-programmed desorption method.”
　We received permission for this publication in July 2000. Thank you.