Adsorption and decomposition of ammonia on W(100); XPS and UPS studies

The adsorption and decomposition of ammonia on a clean and c(2 × 2)-N ordered W(100) surface has been studied by photoemission spectroscopy (XPS and UPS). At 120 K molecularly adsorbed ammonia was identified by N(1s) core level emission at 400.9 eV and the valence emissions at 7.6 and 11.7 eV. By heating the sample stepwise the N(1s) core level shifted to lower binding energy. In the valence region, the corresponding spectral changes were obtained, where the dependence of the peak intensity on photon energy was observed. These observations were interpreted to demonstrate that adsorbed ammonia dissociates its hydrogen successively to form NH_x(a) and finally to atomic nitrogen. On the other hand, ammonia was molecularly adsorbed on a c(2 × 2)-N ordered surface even at temperatures as high as 300 K, although the spectra at 400 K or above were very similar to those under a steady state flow condition, where the tungsten surface was mostly covered by atomic nitrogen. At higher ammonia pressure up to about 100 Pa thicker nitride layers were formed at 700 K, which were characterized by the N(1s) core level at 397.3 eV and a broad emission around 6 eV in the valence level.