Interaction of cesium and oxygen on W(110): I. Cesium adsorption on oxygenated and oxidized W(110)

Cesium adsorption on oxygenated and oxidized W(110) is studied by Auger electron spectroscopy, LEED, thermal desorption and work function measurements. For oxygen coverages up to 1.5 × 10¹⁵ cm^?2 (oxygenated surface), preadsorbed oxygen lowers the cesiated work function minimum, the lowest (～1 eV) being obtained on a two-dimensional oxide structure with 1.4 × 10¹⁵ oxygen atoms per cm². Thermal desorption spectra of neutral cesium show that the oxygen adlayer increases the cesium desorption energy in the limit of small cesium coverages, by the same amount as it increases the substrate work function. Cesium adsorption destroys the p(2 × 1) and p(2 × 2) oxygen structures, but the 2D-oxide structure is left nearly unchanged. Beyond 1.5 × 10¹⁵ cm^?2 (oxidized surface), the work function minimum rises very rapidly with the oxygen coverage, as tungsten oxides begin to form. On bulk tungsten oxide layers, cesium appears to diffuse into the oxide, possibly forming a cesium tungsten bronze, characterized by a new desorption state. The thermal stability of the 2D-oxide structure on W(110) and the facetting of less dense tungsten planes suggest a way to achieve stable low work functions of interest in thermionic energy conversion applications.     

Angular dependence of the electron energy loss spectra from a clean and adsorbate covered W(001) surface

A dispersion analysis of the EELS from a W(001) surface in the range 1 < ΔE < 35 eV has been performed and compared with recent and complete optical data for tungsten. The non-dispersive (k ～ 0) EELS correlated well with a combination of the surface and bulk loss functions calculated from the optical data. Losses at 1–5 eV and a pair at 32 and 34.5 eV were assigned to interband and N_6,7 core ionization excitations respectively. The principal bulk and surface plasmon losses were identified at 24.0 and 20.3 eV respectively. Two further losses at 14.0 and 9.6 eV were also observed and assigned to subsidiary plasmon losses. All four plasmon losses showed only minimal energy dispersion, never exceeding 1.5 eV. A momentum selectivity for separating bulk and surface interband losses was demonstrated with the non-dispersive losses arising from excitations within the bulk even with incident energies as low as 88 eV, whereas their dispersive counterparts were extremely sensitive to the chemical state of the surface. New adsorbate derived losses which develop during adsorption were associated with excitations from the new deep lying adsorbate levels to final state levels at or near the Fermi level. It was concluded that this final state was also responsible for the N_6,7 ionization losses.     

Energy loss mechanisms in low energy electron scattering from W(100) and their use as a surface sensitive spectroscopy

The energy loss spectrum of low energy (0 < E_p < 200 eV) electrons scattered from W(100) has been experimentally investigated, and mechanisms giving rise to the fine structure analyzed using a dielectric response formalism. The dielectric medium is characterized by available optical data and energy band calculations for tungsten. All of the structure for loss energies, w, less than 18 eV is attributed to intra- and interband transitions involving the bulk valence and conduction bands. The surface and bulk plasmon excitations are observed at w = 21 eV and w = 25.5 eV respectively which is in reasonable agreement with the optical data. A very narrow peak in the density of conduction d-band states apparently functions strongly in well defined excitations involving the $\text{5p}\text{3}\text{2}$ and 4f tungsten orbitais and the 2s and 2p orbitais of adsorbed oxygen. These conduction band states form a “window” with which to measure the electronic orbital structure of both the substrate and adsorbate during adsorption and reaction. We demonstrate this for the room temperature adsorption of oxygen on W(100) in which we observe the sequential filling of two electronically inequivalent binding states. The stability of the “d-band window” during thermally activated reaction, and the likelihood of its existence in other transition metals makes this an attractive surface sensitive spectroscopy.     

A comparative analysis of electron spectroscopy and first-principles studies on Cu(Pd) adsorption on MgO

Ultrathin MgO films were grown on a W(1 1 0) substrate while metastable impact electron (MIES) and photoelectron (UPS) spectra were measured in situ; apart from the valence band emission, no additional spectral features were detected. The oxide surface was exposed to metal atoms (Cu, Pd) at RT. A comparison with the DOS extracted from first-principles DFT calculations shows that the metal-induced intensity developing above the top of the O 2p valence band in the UP spectra under Cu(Pd) exposure is caused by Cu 3d (Pd 4d) emission. The emission seen in the MIES spectra is attributed to the ionization of Cu 3d and 4s states of adsorbed neutral Cu atoms in an Auger process, Auger neutralization, involving two electrons from the surface, at least one of them from the metal adsorbate. The shape of the MIES spectra suggests metallic island growth even at the lowest studied exposures, which is supported by the first-principles calculations.     

Energy loss spectroscopy of sulphide films on Mo (100)

Energy loss spectroscopy has revealed features on clean Mo(100) due to bulk and surface plasmons, surface state emission, core-conduction band transitions, and multiple losses. On random adsorption of H₂S at room temperature new peaks appear which are associated with chemisorption bonds. Spectra from epitaxially grown MoS₂ on Mo(100) are in broad agreement with those from bulk MoS₂. The results complement other studies of sulphide film growth using low energy electron diffraction and Auger spectroscopy.     

Surface electronic structure of α-Mo2C(0 0 0 1)

The electronic structure of α-Mo₂C(0 0 0 1) has been investigated by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy utilizing synchrotron radiation. A sharp peak is observed at 3.3 eV in normal-emission spectra. Since the peak shows no dispersion as a function of photon energy and is sensitively attenuated by oxygen adsorption, the initial state of the peak is attributed to a surface state. Resonant photoemission study shows that the state includes substantial contribution of 4d orbitals of the Mo atoms in the second layer. The emissions with constant kinetic energies of 22 and 31 eV above the Fermi level (E_F) are found in normal-emission spectra, and these emissions are interpreted as originating from the Mo N₁N₂₃V and N₂₃VV Auger transitions, respectively.     

Molecular binding states on clean and oxidized surfaces: SiO(g) + W(clean) and SiO(g) + W(oxidized)

The interactions between a molecular beam of SiO(g) and a clean and an oxidized tungsten surface were examined in the surface temperature range 600 to 1700 K by mass spectrometrically determined sticking probabilities, by flash desorption mass spectrometry (FDMS) and by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The sticking probability, S, of SiO has been determined as a function of coverage and of surface temperature for the clean and the oxidized tungsten surface. Over the temperature range studied and at zero coverage S = 1.0 and 0.88 for the clean and oxidized tungsten surfaces respectively. The results are consistent with both FDMS and AES. For coverage up to one monolayer there is one major adsorption state of SiO on the clean tungsten surface. FDMS shows that T_m = constant (T_m is the surface temperature at which the desorption rate is maximum) and that desorption from this state is described by a simple first order desorption process with activation energy, E_d = 85.3 kcal mole^?1 and pre-exponential factor, ν = 2.1 × 10¹⁴ sec^?1. AES shows that the 92 eV peak characteristic of silicon dominates. In contrast on the oxidized tungsten surface, T_m shifts to higher temperatures with increasing coverage. The data indicate a first order desorption process with a coverage dependent activation energy. At low coverage (θ ? 0.14) there is an adsorption state with E_d = 120 kcal mole^?1 and ν = 7.6 × 10¹⁹, while at θ = 1.0, E_d = 141 kcal mole^?1. This variation is interpreted as due to complex formation on the surface. AES shows that on oxidized tungsten, in contrast to clean tungsten, the dominant peaks occur at 64 and 78 eV, and these peaks are characteristic of higher oxidation states of silicon. Thus, it is concluded that SiO exists in different binding states on clean and oxidized tungsten surfaces.     

ELS study on initial oxidation of Ni(100) surfaces

Electron energy loss spectra of clean and oxygen-covered Ni(100) surfaces were observed with concomitant measurements of LEED, work function change, and Auger peak height ratio O(KL_{2, 3}L_{2, 3})/Ni(L_{2, 3}VV). The observed electronic transitions are interpreted on the basis of primary election energy dependence, and of comparison with the loss spectrum for a UHV-cleaved NiO(100) surface and optical data of Ni. The observed loss peaks at 9.1, 14, and 19 eV in the clean surface spectrum are ascribed to the bulk plasmon of the 4s electrons, the surface plasmon, and the bulk plasmon of the coupled 3d + 4s electrons, respectively, and the weak but sharp peak at 33 eV is tentatively attributed to the localized many-body effect in the final state. Three oxygen-derived peaks at 6.0, 8.0, and 10.3 eV in the low oxygen exposure region (?4 L) are ascribed to the O 2p(e) → Ni 3d, O 2p(a₁) → Ni 3d, and O 2p → Ni 4s transitions, respectively. In the high oxygen exposure region (?50 L), the spectra become quite similar to that of the UHV-cleaved NiO(100) surface. The oxidation process consistent with LEED, Auger peak height ratio and work function change measurements is discussed.     

Infrared vibration spectroscopy of molecular adsorbates on tungsten using reflection inelastic electron scattering

The observation of adsorbate vibrational energies in the range, 30 ?, hv_vib ? 1000 meV, by electron-energy-loss spectroscopy, provides detailed information on the geometry of atomic and molecular complexes. The “surface normal dipole selection rule”, is discussed and illustrated with results obtained for CO and C₂H₂ adsorption on the principal low-index faces of tungsten, viz.: W(100), W(110) and W(111) using a high-resolution electron reflection spectrometer. Specifically, the behaviour of chemisorbedd diatomic carbon monoxide and polyatomic acetylene is compared as a function of coverage and surface crystallography. Comparison is made with the spectral information obtained by reflection infrared spectroscopy and recent ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy studies of the chemisorption binding energies. The energy loss spectra are discussed in terms of current adsorbate models and the possible formation of “distorted rehybridized surface molecular complexes” based on molecular orbital theories of organometallic compounds.     

Surface vibrations on clean and hydrogen saturated W(100)

Electron energy loss Spectroscopy (EELS) and lattice dynamical calculations are used to investigate the vibrational properties of surface phonons and adsorbate phonons on clean and hydrogen-saturated W(100). Two distinct intrinsic surface vibrations are observed in specular scattering geometry. One of the surface modes is attributed to a surface resonance of a bulk longitudinal phonon at the hydrogen-stabilized (1×1) surface. The second surface mode occurs only on the low-temperature-stabilized c(2×2) [011] displacement surface. Detailed experimental studies and lattice dynamical analysis of the hydrogen-saturated W(100) surface account for a new hydrogen-derived loss peak at 118 meV in terms of an optic mode of the adsorbed layer. Experimental evidence of impact scattering resonances under certain kinematic conditions are observed.     

Unoccupied electronic states on Ni(100) induced by A c(2 × 2) oxygen overlayer

Bremsstrahlung isochromat spectra at hω₀ = 9.7 eV for electrons normally incident on a clean Ni(100) surface are compared to emission from Ni(100) with an ordered c(2 × 2) oxygen overlayer. We observe strong emission due to adsorbate induced antibonding electronic states near E_F and a simultaneous attenuation of previously identified direct bulk interband transitions. The results are in accord with theoretical predictions.     

Observation of surface photoeffect for an adsorbate: Oxygen on W(1 0 0) and W(1 1 1)

Two strong peaks are observed, one above and one below the tungsten plasmon energy, hv_p′ in the spectral dependence of the photoemission from one 2p-like orbitals of oxygen chemisorbed on W(1 1 1) and W(1 0 0) surfaces. The peaks are interpreted in terms of a surface photoeffect arising from the dielectric response of the surface region. The occurrence of the resonance above hv_p correlates with oxygen being located below the W surface plane. Local dielectric model calculations qualitatively reproduce the observations.     

High temperature coadsorption study of zirconium and oxygen on the W(100) crystal face

The coadsorption of zirconium and oxygen on W(100) has been studied by Auger electron spectroscopy, low energy electron diffraction, mass spectroscopy, ion sputtering, and work function measurement techniques. Adsorption of zirconium onto W(100) followed by heating in an oxygen partial pressure produces rapid diffusion of a ZrO complex into the bulk and the formation of a tungsten oxide layer. Heating in vacuum causes desorption of the tungsten oxide and segregation of the ZrO complex to the surface. The activation energy for the ZrO bulk-to-surface diffusion is 30 ± 2 kcal/mole. Upon heating in vacuum at 2000 K the composite surface exhibits predominantly a (1 × 1) LEED structure with a room temperature field emission retarding potential work function of 2.67 ± 0.05 eV. The Richardson work function for this unusually thermally stable surface is 2.56 ± 0.05 eV with a pre-exponential of 6 ± 2. The effects of carbon and nitrogen contamination on this low work function ZrOW composite surface are discussed and a structural model for the surface is presented.     

Titanium overlayers on TiO2(110)

Non-stoichiometric, Ti-rich TiO₂(110) surfaces were prepared by evaporation of Ti on stoichiometric TiO₂(110). Changes in the spectra of core levels, valence bands, Auger emissions, electron energy losses, conductivities and work functions were investigated during overlayer formation in the monolayer range and during subsequent annealing of non-stoichiometric surfaces at high temperatures and high oxygen partial pressures. These annealing procedures make it possible to restore the ideal stoichiometry of TiO₂(110). The results are discussed quantitatively by calculating concentrations of (sub)surface intrinsic defects in a space-charge layer model.     

The effect of adsorption of various gas molecules on the EEEL Sof the (100) face of tungsten

The effect of adsorption on the EELS of the tungsten (100) surface plane, for loss energies in the range of 2–25 eV, is investigated for a series of adsorbates (i.e. O₂, N₂, NO, CO and H₂). Low-lying sharp structures observed in the energy loss spectra seem to be associated with prominent structures in the local surface density of states. A growth of a peak at a loss energy of about 7.5 eV, observed after exposing the surface to any one of the gases studied, is attributed to the breakdown of optic-like selection rules by the adsorption process. The effect of adsorption on the various surface plasmon peaks seems to be adsorbate-specific.     

An angle-resolved photoemission study of the chemisorption of chalcogens on Cu(100) III. Cu(100) + p(2 x 2)S

Normal emission ARPES data for Cu(100) with a p(2x2)S overlayer were obtained in the photon energy range hv=11 to 34 eV. These spectra have been compared, within a framework proposed previously, with spectra from clean Cu(100). Changes were found in the Cu emission features, which could be explained by the relaxation of momentum conservation perpendicular to the surface in the optical excitation step and by the relaxation of momentum conservation parallel to the surface in the escape step. These changes include a broadening of the d-band peak and the strong attenuation of the sp-band peak. In addition, a prominent feature appears at about ?4.0 eV at normal emission upon sulfur chemisorption. We tentatively attribute its appearance at normal emission to a new surface umklapp process induced by the overlayer. Changes in the spectrum of scattered electrons were related to modifications of evanescent final states. The sulfur 3p_z^? and 3p_x.y-components could be separated at normal emission and are located at ?4.7 and ?5.4 eV, respectively. No dispersion of the sulfur 3p-bands was detected when the $\text{Γ}\text{X}$ and $\text{Γ}\text{M}$ symmetry lines of the surface Brillouin zone were probed. Sulfur-induced emission above the Cu d-bands was observed and attributed to antibonding states. This emission was directed towards the bulk [011] directions.     

Valence band and surface core-level shift studies of the oxygen-induced p(3 × 1) reconstruction of the W(1 0 0) surface

Using synchrotron radiation, W 4f_7/2 and valence-band (VB) photoelectron spectroscopy was used to study the oxidation states of the p(3 × 1) reconstructed surface of W(1 0 0) produced by oxygen adsorption at 1500 K. The W 4f_7/2 study showed two features at 0.40 and 1.50 eV higher binding energies relative to the bulk feature which represent shifts to lower binding energies compared to the W 4f_7/2 features of the as-grown oxygen films on W(1 0 0). Co-existence of these features is a characteristic of the formation of the p(3 × 1) structure. The VB studies of this system and as-grown oxygen films at room temperature (RT) showed an oxygen-induced feature for the p(3 × 1) structure for which the peak maximum had shifted by 0.9 eV to higher binding energies compared to the as-grown films. The direction of shifts in the W 4f_7/2 and VB spectra for the p(3 × 1) structure confirmed the reduction of the charge transfer from W to oxygen compared to the as-grown films. A study of the VB changes with photon energy shows that the main component of the oxygen-induced feature in the p(3 × 1) VB at 6.6 ± 0.2 eV is related to a hybridized state between W 5d and O 2p electrons.     

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.     

Effects of adsorbates on the formation of doubly excited He atoms during impact of He2+ ions on Fe(110) and Ni(110) surfaces

The formation of doubly excited states of He atoms during collisions of He²⁺ ions with projectile energies between 74 eV and 124 eV with an Fe(110) and a Ni(110) surface is studied via Auger electron spectroscopy. We observe that the electron spectra from autoionization of doubly excited states of 2s², 2s2p, 2p² configurations show a pronounced dependence on the coverage with oxygen for both surfaces. For a controlled O₂ adsorption on the Fe(110) and Ni(110) surfaces we can explain the resulting changes in the electron spectra by the modification of the measured work functions of the target surfaces. In terms of thermal desorption and dissolution into the bulk of surface contaminations at elevated temperatures, we present an alternative interpretation of similar previous studies by another group, where the local electron spin polarization of Fe(110) and Ni(110) surfaces was deduced from changes in the electron spectra as function of target temperature.     

Untersuchung über den einfluss von adsorbierten gasen auf die elektronen-energieverlust-spektren einer Ni(110)-oberfläche

Electron energy loss spectra on a (110) nickel surface exhibit characteristic changes upon adsorption of H₂, CO and O₂. The clean surface shows only the surface and bulk plasmon losses at 8 eV and 18 eV respectively. Adsorption of CO produces two new loss peaks at 13.5 eV and 5.5 eV. Loss peaks due to hydrogen adsorption at 15 eV and 7.5 eV show a strong correlation with the well known adsorption characteristics of this system. The oxygen induced losses are different for chemisorbed O on Ni and NiO. In any case the chemisorption-induced losses are well established for primary energies below 120eV. In the loss spectra with higher excitation energies only a drastic decrease of the surface plasmon loss peak-height is visible. If the new losses can be attributed to one-electron excitations from molecular orbital levels due to the chemisorption bond, with assumptions of the final state of the excited electron a determination of the postition of these levels can be made. In case of CO and H₂ reasonable results are evaluated.