Adsorption and reaction of bromine with Ag(110)

The adsorption and reaction of Br₂ with Ag(110) was studied with Auger electron spectroscopy, LEED, work function measurements and thermal desorption spectroscopy in the temperature range of 130–1000 K. Depending on Br coverage and crystal temperature, four different adsorption and reaction states could be detected. For fractional monolayer coverages, chemisorbed Br(ad) is found to be the most stable species. This adsorption state saturates for θ(Br) ? 0.75. In the chemisorption stage, two LEED patterns, a p(2 × 1) with θ(Br) ? 0.5 and a c(4 × 2) with θ(Br) ? 0.75, were observed. For higher Br₂ exposures and T = 130 K a layer-by-layer growth of AgBr is detected. At higher temperature, T > 190 K, there is evidence for a transformation from a 2D growth mechanism of AgBr into a 3D agglomeration of larger AgBr cluster. Molecularly adsorbed.     

Laser-induced etching of titanium by Br2 and CCl3Br at 248 nm

A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) has been used to study the KrF* excimer laser-induced etching of titanium by bromine-containing compounds. The experiment consists of focusing the pulsed UV laser beam at normal incidence onto the surface of a quartz crystal coated with 1 m of polycrystalline titanium. The removal of titanium from the surface is monitored in real time by measuring the change in the frequency of the quartz crystal. The dependence of the etch rate on etchant pressure and laser fluence was measured and found to be consistent with a two-step etching mechanism. The initial step in the etching of titanium is reaction between the etchant and the surface to form the etch product between laser pulses. The etch product is subsequently removed from the surface during the laser pulse via a laser-induced thermal desorption process. The maximum etch rate obtained in this work was 6.2 Å-pulse^–1, indicating that between two and three atomic layers of Ti can be removed per laser pulse. The energy required for desorption of the etch product is calculated to be 172 kJ-mole^–1, which is consistent with the sublimation enthalpy of TiBr₂ (168 kJ-mole^–1). The proposed product in the etching of titanium by Br₂ and CCl₃Br is thus TiBr₂. In the etching of Ti by Br₂, formation of TiBr₂ proceeds predominantly through the dissociative chemisorption of Br₂. In the case of etching with CCl₃Br, TiBr₂ is formed via chemisorption of Br atoms produced in the gas-phase photodissociation of CCl₃Br.     

The chemisorption of Co on Rh(111)

The adsorption of CO on Rh(111) has been studied by thermal desorption mass spectrometry and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). At temperatures below 180 K, CO adsorbs via a mobile precursor mechanism with sticking coefficient near unity. The activation energy for first-order CO desorption is 31.6 kcal/mole (ν_d = 10^13.6s^?1) in the limit of zero coverage.As CO coverage increases, a (√3 ×√3)R30^u overlayer is produced and then destroyed with subsequent formation of an overlayer yielding a (2 × 2) LEED pattern in the full coverage limit. These LEED observations allow the absolute assignment of the full CO coverage as 0.75 CO molecules per surface Rh atom. The limiting LEED behavior suggests that at full CO coverage two CO binding states are present together.     

The adsorption of hydrogen and the reaction of hydrogen with oxygen on Pt (100)

The adsorption of hydrogen on Pt (100) was investigated by utilizing LEED, Auger electron spectroscopy and flash desorption mass spectrometry. No new LEED structures were found during the adsorption of hydrogen. One desorption peak was detected by flash desorption with a desorption maximum at 160 °C. Quantitative evaluation of the flash desorption spectra yields a saturation coverage of 4.6 × 10¹⁴ atoms/cm² at room temperature with an initial sticking probability of 0.17. Second order desorption kinetics was observed and a desorption energy of 15–16 kcal/mole has been deduced. The shapes of the flash desorption spectra are discussed in terms of lateral interactions in the adsorbate and of the existence of two substates at the surface. The reaction between hydrogen and oxygen on Pt (100) has been investigated by monitoring the reaction product H₂O in a mass spectrometer. The temperature dependence of the reaction proved to be complex and different reaction mechanisms might be dominant at different temperatures. Oxygen excess in the gas phase inhibits the reaction by blocking reactive surface sites. At least two adsorption states of H₂O have to be considered on Pt (100). Desorption from the prevailing low energy state occurs below room temperature. Flash desorption spectra of strongly bound H₂O coadsorbed with hydrogen and oxygen have been obtained with desorption maxima at 190 °C and 340 °C.     

Adsorption of oxygen and oxidation of CO on the ruthenium (001) surface

The adsorption of oxygen on the ruthenium (001) surface has been studied using a combination of techniques: LEED/Auger, Kelvin probe contact potential changes, and flash desorption mass spectrometry. Oxygen is rapidly adsorbed at 300 K, forming an ordered LEED structure having apparent (2 × 2) symmetry. Two binding states of oxygen are inferred from the abrupt change in surface work function as a function of oxygen coverage. LEED intensity measurements indicate that the oxygen layer undergoes an order-disorder transition at temperatures several hundred degrees below the onset of desorption. The order-disorder transition temperature is a function of the oxygen coverage, consistent with two binding states. A model involving the adsorption of atomic oxygen at θ < 0.5 and the formation of complexes with higher oxygen content at θ > 0.5 is proposed. The oxidation of CO to form CO₂ was found to have the maximum rate of production at a ruthenium temperature of 950 K.     

The adsorption of CO on Cu surfaces studied by electron energy loss spectroscopy

Electron energy loss spectroscopy (ELS) in the energy range of electronic transitions (primary energy 30 < E₀ < 50 eV, resolution ΔE ≈ 0.3 eV) has been used to study the adsorption of CO on polycrystalline surfaces and on the low index faces (100), (110), (111) of Cu at 80 K. Also LEED patterns were investigated and thermal desorption was analyzed by means of the temperature dependence of three losses near 9, 12 and 14 eV characteristic for adsorbed CO. The 12 and 14 eV losses occur on all Cu surfaces in the whole coverage range; they are interpreted in terms of intramolecular transitions of the CO. The 9 eV loss is sensitive to the crystallographic type of Cu surface and to the coverage with CO. The interpretation in terms of d(Cu) → 2π¹(CO) charge transfer transitions allows conclusions concerning the adsorption site geometry. The ELS results are consistent with information obtained from LEED. On the (100) surface CO adsorption enhances the intensity of a bulk electronic transition near 4 eV at E₀ < 50 eV. This effect is interpreted within the framework of dielectric theory for surface scattering on the basis of the Cu electron energy band scheme.     

Adsorption of carbon monoxide on tungsten (210)

Thermal desorption spectra taken after adsorption of carbon monoxide at room temperature on W(210) show sequential formation with increasing coverage of strongly bound β₂ and β₁ binding states, correlated to the sequential formation of P(2 × 1) and (1 × 1) adsorbate structures as observed by LEED. Adsorption at room temperature gives a poorly ordered arrangement of adsorbed CO molecules, but well-ordered structures are produced by subsequent anneal. For adsorption without anneal the work function increases monotonically with coverage to a maximum of Δφ = + 0.70 eV at saturation coverage of 1 monolayer. For adsorption followed by anneal the work function dependence upon coverage is less simple, with even a decrease of work function at coverages less than a quarter monolayer. LEED intensity-voltage measurements from P(2 × 1)CO and P(2 × 1)N structures suggest that CO molecules occupy the sites of 4-fold symmetry upon which nitrogen is believed to be adsorbed. The distinction between the β₂ and β₁ states of adsorbed CO is attributed to heterogeneity induced by the reduction in binding energy of a CO molecule when its nearest-neighbor sites are occupied.     

The chemisorption of N2 on the (110) surface of iridium

The molecular chemisorption of N₂ on the reconstructed Ir(110)-(1 × 2) surface has been studied with thermal desorption mass spectrometry, XPS, UPS, AES, LEED and the co-adsorption of N₂ with hydrogen. Photoelectron spectroscopy shows molecular levels of N₂ at 8.0 (5σ + 1π) and 11.8 (4σ) eV in the valence band and at 399.2 eV with a satellite at 404.2 eV in the N(1s) region, where the binding energies are referenced to the Ir Fermi level. The kinetics of adsorption and desorption show that both precursor kinetics and interadsorbate interactions are important for this chemisorption system. Adsorption occurs with a constant probability of adsorption of unity up to saturation coverage (4.8 × 10¹⁴ cm^?2), and the thermal desorption spectra give rise to two peaks. The activation energy for desorption varies between 8.5 and 6.0 kcal mole^?1 at low and high coverages, respectively. Results of the co-adsorption of N₂ and hydrogen indicate that adsorbed N₂ resides in the missing-row troughs on the reconstructed surface. Nitrogen is displaced by hydrogen, and the most tightly bound state of hydrogen blocks virtually all N₂ adsorption. A p1g1(2 × 2) LEED pattern is associated with a saturated overlayer of adsorbed N₂ on Ir(110)-(1 × 2).     

Adsorption of glycine on a NiAl(1 1 0) alloy surface

The adsorption and desorption of glycine (NH₂CH₂COOH), vacuum deposited on a NiAl(1 1 0) surface, were investigated by means of Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), temperature-programmed desorption, work function (Δφ) measurements, and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). At 120 K, glycine adsorbs molecularly forming mono- and multilayers predominantly in the zwitterionic state, as evidenced by the UPS results. In contrast, the adsorption at room temperature (310 K) is mainly dissociative in the early stages of exposure, while molecular adsorption occurs only near saturation coverage. There is evidence that this molecularly adsorbed species is in the anionic form (NH₂CH₂COO⁻). Analysis of AES data reveals that upon adsorption glycine attacks the aluminium sites on the surface. On heating part of the monolayer adsorbed at 120 K is converted to the anionic form and at higher temperatures dissociates further before desorption. The temperature-induced dissociation of glycine (<400 K) leads to a series of similar reaction products irrespective of the initial adsorption step at 120 K or at 310 K, leaving finally oxygen, carbon and nitrogen at the surface. AES and LEED measurements indicate that oxygen interacts strongly with the Al component of the surface forming an “oxide”-like Al-O layer.     

Superlattices formed by interaction of hydrogen bromide and hydrogen chloride with Pt(111) and Pt(100) studied by LEED,Auger and thermal desorption mass spectroscopy

HBr and HCl react with Pt(111) and Pt(100) surfaces to form adsorbed layers consisting of specific mixtures of halogen atoms and hydrogen halide molecules. Exposure of Pt(111) to HBr yielded a (3×3) LEED pattern beginning at $\text{Θ}{}_{\mathrm{Br}}\text{=}\text{2}\text{9}$ and persisting at the maximum coverage which consisted of $\text{Θ}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Br</mtext>}}\text{=}\text{1}\text{3}$ plus $\text{Θ}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>HBr</mtext>}}\text{=}\text{1}\text{9}$. The most probable structure at maximum coverage, Pt(111)[c(3 × 3)]-(3 Br + HBr), nas a rhombic unit cell encompassing nine surface Pt atoms, and containing three Br atoms and one HBr molecule. On Pt(100) the structure at maximum coverage appears to be Pt(100)[c(2√2 × √2)]R45°-(Br + HBr), $\text{Θ}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Br</mtext>}}\text{= Θ}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>HBr</mtext>}}\text{=}\text{1}\text{4}$; the rectangular unit cell involves four Pt atoms, one Br atom and one HBr molecule. Each of these structures consists of an hexagonal array of adsorbed atoms or molecules, excepting slight distortion for best fit with the substrate in the case of Pt(100). Treatment of Pt(100) with HCl produced a diffuse Pt(100)(2 × 2)-(Cl + HCl) structure at the maximum coverage of Θ_Cl = 0.13, Θ_HCl = 0.11. Exposure of Pt(111) to HCl produced a disordered overlayer. Thermal desorption, Auger spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy provided coverage data. Thermal desorption data reveal prominent rate maxima associated with the structural transitions observed by LEED. Br and HBr, Cl and HCl were the predominant thermal desorption products.     

Cu adsorption on Pt(111) and its effects on Chemisorption: A comparison with electrochemistry

The growth modes and interaction of vapor-deposited Cu on a clean Pt(111) surface have been monitored by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), and work function measurements. The LEED data indicate that below 475 K Cu grows in p(1 × 1) islands in the first monolayer with the interatomic Cu spacing the same as the Pt(111) substrate. The second monolayer of Cu grows in epitaxial, rotationally commensurate Cu(111) planes with the CuCu distance the same as bulk Cu. For substrate temperatures below ～ 475 K, the variation of work function and “cross-over beam voltage” with Cu coverage show characteristic features at one monolayer that are quite useful for calibration of θ_Cu. Above 525 K, Cu-Pt alloy formation was observed in AES and LEED data. Thermal desorption spectroscopy of H₂ and CO has demonstrated that simple site blocking of the Pt(111) surface by vapor-deposited Cu occurs linearly with chemisorption being essentially eliminated at θ_Cu = 1.0–1.15. Conclusions drawn from this work correlate very favorably with the well-known effects of under potentially deposited copper on the electrochemistry of the H₂2H⁺ couple at platinum electrodes.     

A time-of-flight study on the nanosecond laser induced etching of Cu with Cl2 at 308 nm

Chemical etching of Cu is studied using Cl₂ and a ns pulsed UV laser at 308 nm. At Cl₂ pressures in the range of 10^–6–10^–4mbar and a laser fluence up to 0.82 J/cm² the velocity distributions of the ejected species are determined. CuCl and Cu₃Cl₃ are the main products. The time-of-flight spectra of these particles can be fitted with Maxwell-Boltzmann distributions at high temperatures viz. 1750<T<6000 K. Starting with a clean Cu sample the system evolves to a steady state situation in which a considerable amount of Cl has diffused into the bulk. The chlorinated Cu layer has a pronounced influence on the coupling of the laser beam into the substrate, thereby determining the amount of particles desorbed and their time-of-flight distributions. A model is presented to explain the results.     

Laser-induced desorption and etching processes on chlorinated Cu and solid CuCl surfaces

Time-resolved mass spectrometry is used to study the desorbed species due to laser-induced etching of a solid CuCl and a chlorinated Cu surface. The observed desorption threshold, mass distribution and kinetic energies of the desorbed atoms and molecules at 355 and 532 nm radiation show that the laser-induced etching process is not simply thermal evaporation. It is suggested that competing nonthermal mechanisms due to electronic excitations may be very important in laser-induced desorption and etching. These processes are different for a solid CuCl and a chlorinated Cu surface. For laser-induced etching of Cu surfaces, chlorination of Cu is essential; however, formation of stoichiometric CuCl is not necessary. Excess Cu in the surface layer is responsible for the observed different etching behavior of a chlorinated Cu and a solid CuCl surface. The effect of laser radiation on these surfaces and possible etching mechanisms are discussed based on the experimental observations.     

Adsorption of hydrogen on a Pt(111) surface

The H₂/Pt(111) system has been studied with LEED, ELS, thermal desorption spectroscopy and contact potential measurements. At 150 K H₂ was found to adsorb with an initial sticking coefficient of about 0.1, yielding an atomic H:Pt ratio of about 0.8:1 at saturation. H₂/D₂ exchange experiments gave evidence that adsorption is completely dissociative. No exrea LEED spots due to adsorbed hydrogen were observed, but the adsorbate was found to strongly damp the secondary Bragg maxima in the I/V spectrum of the specular beam. The primary Bragg maxima were slightly increased in intensity and shifted to somewhat lower energy. A new characteristic electron energy loss at ?15.4 eV was recorded upon hydrogen adsorption. The thermal desorption spectra were characterized by a high temperature (β₂-) state desorbing with second order kinetics below 400 K and a low temperature (β₂-) state that fills up, in the main, after the first peak saturates. The β₂-state is associated with an activation energy for desorption E1 of 9.5 kcal/mole. The decrease E1 with increasing coverage and the formation of the β₁-state are interpreted in terms of a lateral interaction model. The anomalous structure in the thermal desorption spectra is attributed to domains of non-equilibrium configuration. The work function change Δ? was found to have a small positive maximum (～ 2 mV) at very low hydrogen doses (attributed to structural imperfections) and then to decrease continuously to a value of ?230 mV at saturation. The variation of Δ? with coverage is stronger than linear. The isosteric heats of adsorption as derived from adsorption isotherms recorded via Δ? compared well with the results of the analysis of the thermal desorption spectra.     

An electron spectroscopic investigation of the adsorption of NO on Ni(111)

The adsorption, decomposition, and desorption of NO on the close packed Ni(111) surface have been investigated by XPS, XPS satellites, XAES, UPS, and LEED between 125 and 1000 K. At adsorption temperatures below 300 K a single molecular species (v) is formed with about unit sticking coefficient, which is interpreted as bridge-bonded; its saturation coverage is about 85% of that of CO, i.e. 0.5 relative to surface Ni atoms. Adsorption at 300 to 400 K yields dissociative adsorption (β) followed by molecular adsorption; above 400 K only dissociated species are formed. Upon heating, a full molecular layer dissociates only after some NO desorption (at 380–400 K), while dilute layers (below half coverage) dissociate already above 300 K without NO desorption. Together with quantitative findings this shows that for dissociation of one v-NO, the space of two is required. N₂ desorption from the β-layer occurs above 740 K; the oxygen staying behind diffuses into the crystal above 800 K. Readsorption of NO onto a β-layer or onto an oxygen precoverage at 125 K leads, besides to an α₁-state similar to v-NO, to another molecular state (α₂) which is interpreted as linearly bound. The resulting total coverage is considerably higher than in a virgin layer. This shows that the blocking of dissociation in a full v-layer is probably not due to β requiring the same sites, but to kinetic hindrance; an influence of β-induced surface reconstruction cannot be excluded, however. The LEED results agree with a previous report and are well compatible with the other results.     

Surface science investigations of Cu intercalation in 1T TaSe2 and TiSe2 and its deintercalation by adsorbed Br2

The intercalation of Cu adsorbed onto 1T TaSe₂ and TiSe₂ (0001) van der Waals planes as well its deintercalation by adsorbed Br₂ is studied by synchrotron induced photoelectron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction. Cu intercalation into 1T TaSe₂ leads to a change in lattice distortion (charge density waves) as is evident from a transition of a commensurate √13x√13 to a 3×3 superstructure and changes in Ta 4f core line and valence band spectra. For 1T TiSe₂ intercalation follows closely the rigid band model. After adsorption of Br₂ at 100 K and annealing to room temperature a CuBr overlayer is detected on both samples. The substrate spectra indicate the deintercalation of near surface Cu. The experimental results suggest that the diffusion of Cu proceeds normal to the van der Waals plane. Paper presented at the 3rd Euroconference on Solid State Ionics, Teulada, Sardinia, Italy, Sept. 15–22, 1996     

Formic acid desorption from graphitized Ni(110)

The adsorption/desorption behavior of formic acid from a monolayer of graphite carbon on Ni(110) was studied using AES, LEED and flash desorption spectroscopy. Formic acid adsorbed at 165 K did not form multilayers of adsorbate. Instead, due to strong hydrogen-bonding interactions the formic acid formed a two-dimensional condensed phase on the surface and exhibited zero-order desorption kinetics initially for a 30-fold change in initial coverage. The zero-order desorption rate constant was k_d = 10¹⁸ exp[?68.2 kJ mol^?1/RT]s^?1, suggesting a desorption transition state with nearly full translational and rotational freedom on the surface. The desorption kinetics and the coverage limit were consistent with the formation of a surface polymer-monomer equilibrium.     

Evaluation of desorption activation energy of SiCl2 molecules

The chemical etching of silicon in Cl₂ ambient was considered. The desorption activation energy for an SiCl₂ molecule was evaluated using an experimentally measured dependence of etching rate on concentration of Cl₂ molecules. It was found that the desorption activation energy of SiCl₂ molecules is equal to E_d=(1.605±0.010) eV. This corresponds to a value of the mean lifetime of adsorbed molecules on the surface of τ=46 ms at temperature T=724 K.     

A re-interpretation of the LEED structures formed by iodine on W(l10)

The early work done by Avery on the adsorption of I₂ on W(110) has been re-interpreted using adatom models originally developed for the Cl₂/Br₂/I₂/Fe (100) systems. The experimental coverages and LEED patterns are described precisely using variable, non-coincident nets of halogen atoms. It is shown that the movement of spots within the diffraction pattern arises from the movements of iodine atoms along simple crystallographic directions. The model assumes repulsive lateral interactions between iodine adatoms which is consistent with the desorption behaviour. The reasons for structural changes within the adlayer are discussed using the model, and the internuclear spacings and geometry of the adlayer are shown to be consistent with previous work on Fe(100) and W(100).     

LEED and thermal desorption studies of small molecules (H2, O2, CO,CO2, NO,C2H4, C2H2 and C) chemisorbed on the stepped rhodium (755) and (331) surfaces

The chemisorption of H₂, O₂, CO, CO₂, NO, C₂H₂, C₂H₄ and C has been studied on the clean stepped Rh(755) and (331) surfaces. Low energy electron diffraction (LEED), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) were used to determine the size and orientation of the unit cells, desorption temperatures and decomposition characteristics for each adsorbate. All of the molecules studied readily chemisorbed on both stepped surfaces and several ordered surface structures were observed. The LEED patterns seen on the (755) surface were due to the formation of surface structures on the (111) terraces, while on the (331) surface the step periodicity played an important role in the determination of the unit cells of the observed structures. When heated in O₂ or C₂H₄ the (331) surface was more stable than the (755) surface which readily formed (111) and (100) facets. In the CO and CO₂ TDS spectra a peak due to dissociated CO was observed on both surfaces. NO adsorption was dissociative at low exposures and associative at high exposures. C₂H₄ and C₂H₂ had similar adsorption and desorption properties and it is likely that the same adsorbed species was formed by both molecules.