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 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.     

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.     

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-desorption properties and surface structural chemistry of chlorine on Cu(111) and Ag(111)

The adsorption, desorption, and structural properties of chlorine adlayers on Cu(111) and Ag(111) have been studied by LEED, Auger, Δ?, and thermal desorption measurements. Ancillary experiments were also carried out on cuprous chloride for purposes of comparison with the Cu(111)-Cl data. Chlorine adsorption is rapid on both metals and follows precursor kinetics, the absolute initial sticking probabilities being ~1.0 (Cu) and ~0.5 (Ag). Δ? results suggest that significant depolarisation of the chemisorption bond occurs at high coverages, the maximum values being + 1.2 eV (Cu) and + 1.8 eV (Ag). On Cu(111), adsorption leads to the formation of a sequence of well-ordered phases; in order of increasing coverage, these are as follows: (√3 × √3)R30°, (12√3 × 12√3)R30°, (4√7 × 4√7)R19.2°, and (6√3 × 6√3)R30°. On Ag(111) (√3 × √3)R30°, and (10 × 10) structures are observed. All six structures are susceptible to a straightforward interpretation in terms of coincidence lattices resulting from the progressive uniform compression of a hexagonal layer of Cl atoms. This interpretation is consistent with all the experimental results, and gives values for the nearest-neighbour ClCl spacing on both Cu(111) and Ag(111) which are in good agreement with other work on other surfaces. Chlorine desorbs exclusively as atoms from both metals with first-order desorption kinetics, and apparent desorption energies of 236 (Cu) and 209 (Ag) kJ mol^?1. These values, which depend on an assumed pre-exponential factor of 10¹³ s^?1, are shown to be inconsistent with the thermochemical constraints on the system necessitated by the complete absence of Cl₂ desorption. Lower limits for the pre-exponential factors are then deduced, and the values are found to be consistent with the differences between the CuCl and AgCl systems.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Lateral interactions in the thermal desorption of H2 from clean Cu/Ni(110) alloy surfaces

The adsorption of hydrogen on a clean Cu10%/Ni90% (110) alloy single crystal was studied using flash desorption spectroscopy (FDS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and work function measurements. Surface compositions were varied from 100% Ni to 35% Ni. The hydrogen chemisorption on a-surface of 100% nickel revealed strong attractive interactions between the hydrogen atoms in accordance with previous work on Ni(100). Three desorption states (β₁, β₂ and α) appeared in the desorption spectra. The highest temperature (α) state was occupied only after the initial population of the β₂-state. As the amount of copper was increased in the nickel substrate, desorption from the higher energy binding α-state was reduced, indicating a decrease in the attractive interactions among hydrogen atoms. The hydrogen coverage at saturation was not affected by the addition of copper to the nickel substrate until the copper concentration was greater than 25% at which a sharp reduction in saturation coverage occurred. This phenomenon was apparently due to the adsorption of hydrogen on Ni atoms followed by occupation of NiNi and CuNi bridged adsorption sites, while occupation of CuCu sites was restricted due to an energy barrier to migration.     

Interaction of C2N2 with clean and oxygen dosed Cu(111) surface studied by AES,ELS and TDS measurements

The adsorption and surface reaction of cyanogen on clean and oxygen covered Cu(111) have been investigated. From electron energy loss measurements, thermal desorption spectroscopy and electron beam effects in Auger spectroscopy, it is proposed that cyanogen adsorbs dissociatively on Cu(111) at 300 K. The activation energy for the desorption was calculated to be 180 kJ/mol. Cyanogen adsorption onto oxygen predosed Cu(111) is inferred to produce the NCO surface species. This interpretation was aided by data of electron energy loss measurements and from HNCO adsorption onto Cu(111) at 300 K. A reaction began in the co-adsorbed layer above 400 K, yielding CO₂ and N₂.     

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     

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).     

The kinetics of D2 desorption from Ni(110) (2 × 1)C in the presence of reactive intermediates

A kinetic study of D₂ formation from HCOOD decomposition on Ni(110) (2 × 1)C was performed using the flash desorption technique. The surface structure and surface composition were monitored by low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Flash curves were obtained using initial coverage and heating rate variations. D₂ formation exhibited a single second-order rate-determining step. Three different techniques were employed in obtaining the activation energy, two of which did not require the assumption of reaction order. Using an average value of 12.6 kcal/mole for the activation energy the pre-exponential factor was calculated to be 2.7 × 10^?4 cm² molecules^?1 sec^?1. Good agreement was achieved with the theoretically generated second-order flash curves only up to the peak temperature. The discrepancy on the high temperature side was explained using the model proposed by Clavenna and Schmidt utilizing a coverage dependent pre-exponential factor.     

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.     

The oxidation of CO on pt(100): Mechanism and structure

Using dynamic LEED measurements of spot intensities and profiles, together with thermal desorption data, we have investigated the oxidation of CO on Pt(100)?(1 × 1). At T = 355 K, either CO or O was preadsorbed and reacted off with the other species. Results from both titration sequences point to the following conclusions: Titration of preadsorbed oxygen with CO_g leads to rapid reaction, with a reaction probability of unity for each chemisorbed CO. Adsorbed CO does not accumulate on the surface until θ_o ? 0.05, i.e. an intermediate, rather clean (1 × 1) Pt surface is obtained. Further evidence for this clean intermediate is provided by the fact that characteristics of the diffraction spots of the c(2 × 2) of CO develop identically during this reaction sequence and during adsorption of CO on a clean (1 × 1) Pt surface. In the reverse case, titration of preadsorbed CO with O_2,g, the reaction rate is slower than the oxygen adsorption rate, leading to a pressure-dependent development of coexisting O_ad and CO_ad domains, which we observe directly with LEED. The stable phases coexisting are the c(2 × 2) of CO and the oxygen-related (3 × 1). Thermal desorption peak shapes, together with LEED observations, indicate that the CO in this case is held in c(2 × 2) islands by a matrix of surrounding oxygen atoms. In no case do mixed structures form, nor is an existing structure compressed by subsequent adsorption of the second species. Starting from a Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism, the differences between the two reaction sequences are discussed in terms of different activation barriers for reaction and different sticking coefficients of the adsorbing species. Special attention is given to the mobilities of the adsorbed reactants.     

Adsorption,coadsorption, and reactivity of sodium and nitric oxide on Ag(111)

The adsorption, desorption, and surface structural properties of Na and NO on Ag(111), together with their coadsorption and surface reactivity, have been studied by LEED, Auger spectroscopy, and thermal desorption. On the clean surface, non-dissociative adsorption of NO into the a-state occurs at 300 K with an initial sticking probability of ~0.1, saturation occurring at a coverage of $\text{~}\text{1}\text{20}$. Desorption occurs reversibly without decomposition and is characterised by a desorption energy of E_d ~ 103 kJ mol^?1. In the coverage regime 0 < θ_Na < 1, sodium adsorbs in registry with the Ag surface mesh and the desorption spectra show a single peak corresponding to E_d ~ 228 kJ mol^?1. For multilayer coverages (1 < θ _Na < 5) a new low temperature peak appears in the desorption spectra with E_d ~ 187 kJ mol^?1. This is identified with Na desorption from an essentially Na surface, and the desorption energy indicates that Na atoms beyond the first chemisorbed layer are significantly influenced by the presence of the Ag substrate. The LEED results show that Na multilayers grow as a (√7 × √7) R19.2° overlayer, and are interpreted in a way which is consistent with the above conclusion. Coadsorption of Na and NO leads to the appearance of a more strongly bound and reactive chemisorbed state of NO (β-NO) with E_d ~ 121 kJ mol^?1. β-NO appears to undego surface dissociation to yield adsorbed O and N atoms whose subsequent reactions lead to the formation of N₂, N₂O, and O₂ as gaseous products. The reactive behaviour of the system is complicated by the effects of Na and O diffusion into the bulk of the specimen, but certain invariant features permit us to postulate an overall reaction mechanism, and the results obtained here are compared with other relevant work.