Atomic structure of the polar NiO(111)- p(2x2) surface

Using grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction, the p(2x2) surface structures of the single crystal NiO(111) and a 5 monolayer thick NiO(111) film on Au(111) were both shown to exhibit locally the theoretically predicted octopolar reconstruction, with some important differences. The single crystal exhibits a single Ni termination with double steps. The thin film exhibits both possible terminations (O and Ni) and single steps. These surfaces were found to be nonreactive with respect to hydroxylation.     

The structure of epitaxial V2O3 films and their surfaces: A medium energy ion scattering study

Medium energy ion scattering, using 100 keV H⁺ incident ions, has been used to investigate the growth of epitaxial films, up to thicknesses of ~ 200 Å, of V₂O₃ on both Pd(111) and Au(111). Scattered-ion energy spectra provide a measure of the average film thickness and the variations in this thickness, and show that, with suitable annealing, the crystalline quality is good. Plots of the scattering yield as a function of scattering angle, so-called blocking curves, have been measured for two different incidence directions and have been used to determine the surface structure. Specifically, scattering simulations for a range of different model structures show poor agreement with experiment for half-metal (….V′O₃V) and vanadyl (….V′O₃V=O) terminations, with and without surface interlayer relaxations. However, good agreement with experiment is found for the modified oxygen-termination structure, first proposed by Kresse et al., in which a subsurface V half-metal layer is moved up into the outermost V buckled metal layer to produce a VO₂ overlayer on the underlying V₂O₃, with an associated layer structure of ….O₃VV′′V ′O₃. This result is consistent with the predictions of thermodynamic equilibrium at the surface under the surface preparation conditions, but is at variance with the conclusions of earlier studies of this system that have favoured the vanadyl termination. The results of these previous studies are re-evaluated in the light of the new result.     

Adsorption of 5-halouracils on Au(111)

The immobilization of 5-halouracils on Au(111) has been studied by soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. Multilayer and monolayer films of 5-chlorouracil were deposited on the Au(111) surface by evaporation in vacuum while films of 5-bromouracil were absorbed in two modes: from the gas phase under ultrahigh vacuum conditions and from solution. The photoemission spectra of C, N and O 1s, Br 3d and Cl 2p as well as the absorption spectra at the N and O K-edges were measured for monolayers of 5-halouracil films and the nature of the bonding with the Au(111) surface has been determined. From the angular dependence of the NEXAFS spectra at the O and K-edges, we conclude that these 5-halouracils are lying nearly parallel to the Au(111) surface. Distinct chemical states and surface adsorption geometry of the 5-BrU molecules for monolayer coverage prepared in two different ways have been found.     

Surface termination of an ultrathin V2O3-film on Au(111) studied via ion beam triangulation

The structure of the topmost layer of thin V₂O₃ films on a Au(111) substrate is studied via Ion Beam Triangulation. From electron emission induced by fast H atoms scattered from the film surface under a grazing angle of incidence as function of azimuthal rotation of the target, we find evidence for a reconstructed O₃ termination as proposed from DFT-calculations and recent experimental work using methods based on large angle impact of fast ions. From our studies we derive detailed lateral positions for the topmost O atoms.     

Structure of the Rh2O3(0001) surface

We have studied the (0001) surface termination of Rh₂O₃ on a Rh(111) single crystal using a combination of high resolution core level spectroscopy, low energy electron diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory. By exposing the Rh(111) to atomic oxygen we are able to grow Rh₂O₃ layers exposing the (0001) surface. The experiments support the theoretical predictions stating that the surface is terminated with an O–Rh–O trilayer yielding a RhO₂ termination instead of a bulk Rh₂O₃ termination. The structural details as found by the DFT calculations are presented and reasons for the previously observed strong differences in catalytic activity between the structurally similar RhO₂ surface oxide, and the Rh₂O₃(0001) surface are discussed.     

Au_(38)团簇上小分子H_2O和O_2共同吸附的第一性原理研究

利用密度泛函理论(DFT)计算的方法,对O_2,H_2O单独吸附和共吸附在Au_(38)团簇上的吸附性质进行了结构,能量和电子分析.计算结果表明,O_2倾向于吸附在edge位,H_2O则倾向于吸附在top位.Au(100)表面较之Au(111)表面更有利于O_2,H_2O的吸附,这与实验结果相符合.H_2O和O_2共吸附研究表明,H_2O的存在促进了O_2的吸附.Mulliken和分态密度(PDOS)分析得出:在共吸附中,H_2O将部分电子转移给了O_2,促进了O_2的活化与解离,并生成了类似H_2O_2的中间态,从而为催化氧化反应提供了O活性物种.     

Do methanethiol adsorbates on the Au(111) surface dissociate?

The interaction of methanethiol molecules CH3SH with the Au(111) surface is investigated, and it is found for the first time that the S-H bond remains intact when the methanethiol molecules are adsorbed on the regular Au(111) surface. However, it breaks if defects are present in the Au(111) surface. At low coverage, the fcc region is favored for S atom adsorption, but at saturated coverage the adsorption energies at various sites are almost isoenergetic. The presented calculations show that a methanethiol layer on the regular Au(111) surface does not dimerize.     

Adsorption of oxygen on Au(111) by exposure to ozone

Atomic oxygen coverages of up to 1.2 ML may be cleanly adsorbed on the Au(111) surface by exposure to O₃ at 300 K. We have studied the adsorbed oxygen layer by AES, XPS, HREELS, LEED, work function measurements and TPD. A plot of the O(519 eV)/Au(239 eV) AES ratio versus coverage is nearly linear, but a small change in slope occurs at Θ_O=0.9 ML. LEED observations show no ordered superlattice for the oxygen overlayer for any coverage studied. One-dimensional ordering of the adlayer occurs at low coverages, and disordering of the substrate occurs at higher coverages. Adsorption of 1.0 ML of oxygen on Au(111) increases the work function by +0.80 eV, indicating electron transfer from the Au substrate into an oxygen adlayer. The O(1s) peak in XPS has a binding energy of 530.1 eV, showing only a small (0.3 eV) shift to a higher binding energy with increasing oxygen coverage. No shift was detected for the Au 4f_7/2 peak due to adsorption. All oxygen is removed by thermal desorption of O₂ to leave a clean Au(111) surface after heating to 600 K. TPD spectra initially show an O₂ desorption peak at 520 K at low Θ_O, and the peak shifts to higher temperatures for increasing oxygen coverages up to Θ_O=0.22 ML. Above this coverage, the peak shifts very slightly to higher temperatures, resulting in a peak at 550 K at Θ_O=1.2 ML. Analysis of the TPD data indicates that the desorption of O₂ from Au(111) can be described by first-order kinetics with an activation energy for O₂ desorption of 30 kcal mol⁻¹ near saturation coverage. We estimate a value for the Au–O bond dissociation energy D(Au–O) to be 56 kcal mol⁻¹.     

Trapping of V(benzene)2 sandwich clusters in a n-alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer matrix

V(benzene)₂ sandwich cluster cations produced in the gas phase were size-selectively deposited onto a self-assembled monolayer of n-hexadecanethiols (HDT-SAM) chemisorbed on a Au(111) surface as well as onto a bare Au(111) surface. The thermal chemistry of the neutralized clusters on each substrate was studied with temperature programmed desorption (TPD). From the analyses of the threshold in the TPD, the desorption activation energies of the clusters deposited were determined to be 64.4 ±12.8 kJ/mol for the Au(111) and 130 ±10 kJ/mol for the HDT-SAM. The remarkably large desorption activation energy from the SAM suggests that the deposited clusters are incorporated into the SAM matrix and firmly trapped inside the alkyl chains of the SAM.     

Surface properties of clean and Au or Pd covered hematite (α-Fe(2)O(3)) (0001)

The structure and electronic properties of different terminations of the α-Fe(2)O(3)(0001) surface were studied with spin-polarized density functional theory (DFT) and the DFT + U method accounting for the effect of strong on-site Coulomb correlations. The results for lattice relaxation, electronic and magnetic properties are presented and discussed. Though the DFT and DFT + U methods provide qualitatively very similar surface geometries they differ very much in the prediction of the electronic and magnetic properties, and the surface energetics of the clean α-Fe(2)O(3)(0001). The most stable single iron terminated (0001) surface and the oxygen-rich termination were chosen to study Au and Pd atom adsorption. The results show that both Au and Pd bind strongly to hematite surfaces and induce large changes in their geometry. The DFT + U bonding is weaker by 0.3-0.6 eV than DFT on the iron terminated surface and about 2 eV stronger on the oxygen terminated one. The binding is stronger for Pd than Au and for both adsorbates is distinctly stronger at the oxygen than at the iron terminated surface. On the iron terminated surface the adsorption binding energy per adatom increases both with Au and Pd coverage, whereas for the oxygen terminated one the opposite trend is observed.     

Adsorption and rotational barrier for a single azobenzene molecule on Au(111) surface

The orientation switching of a single azobenzene molecule on Au(111) surface excited by tunneling electrons and/or photons has been demonstrated in recent experiments. Here we investigate the rotation behavior of this molecular rotor by first-principles density functional theory(DFT) calculation. The anchor phenyl ring prefers adsorption on top of the fcc hollow site, simulated by a benzene molecule on close packed atomic surface. The adsorption energy for an azobenzene molecule on Au(111) surface is calculated to be about 1.76 e V. The rotational energy profile has been mapped with one of the phenyl rings pivots around the fcc hollow site, illustrating a potential barrier about 50 me V. The results are consistent with experimental observations and valuable for exploring a broad spectrum of molecules on this noble metal surface.     

Medium energy ion scattering investigation of methylthiolate-induced modification of the Au(111) surface

100 keV H⁺ scattering has been used to investigate the structure of the methylthiolate/Au(111) interface in the Au(111)(√3 × √3)R30° phase. Adsorption of the thiolate onto the clean Au(111) surface leads to a large drop in the scattered ion yield due to the lifting of the clean surface ‘herring-bone’ reconstruction, but the thiolate-covered surface shows an ion yield higher than that of an unreconstructed Au(111) surface, providing direct evidence of a significant number of Au atoms that are displaced from their bulk-terminated positions at the buried interface. Simulations for two different Au adatoms models at the interface, namely, the Au-adatom-monothiolate (AAM) and Au-adatom-dithiolate (AAD) models, show significant sensitivity to the exact values of interlayer spacings and atomic vibrational amplitudes, but the comparison with experimental results appears to favour the AAD model with 0.17 ML Au adatoms in bridging sites at the interface.     

Coadsorption of gold with chlorine on CeO2 (111) surfaces: A first principles study

To investigate the effects of chlorine on the Au/ceria catalysts,the adsorption of gold or chlorine and their coadsorpiton on the stoichiometric and partially reduced CeO₂（111） surfaces are studied from the first principles.It is found that the adsorption of Au is significantly enhanced by the chlorine preadsorption on the stoichiometric CeO₂（111） surface;while on the partially reduced CeO₂（111） surface,the preadsorbed chlorine inhabits the oxygen vacancy（which is the preferred adsorption site for gold）,leading to a CeOCl phase and the dramatical weakening of the Au adsorption.Therefore,chlorine on the CeO₂（111） surface can affect the Au adsorption thus the activity of the Au/CeO₂ catalyst.     

Mechanistic study of the CO oxidation reaction on the CuO (111) surface during chemical looping combustion

Cu-based oxides oxygen carriers and catalysts are found to exhibit attractive activity for CO oxidation, but the dispute with respect to the reaction mechanism of CO and O₂ on the CuO surface still remains. This work reports the kinetic study of CO oxidation on the CuO (111) surface by considering the adsorption, reaction and desorption processes based on density functional theory calculations with dispersion correction (DFT-D). The Eley–Rideal (ER) CO oxidation mechanism was found to be more feasible than the Mars-van-Krevelen (MvK) and Langmuir–Hinshelwood (LH) mechanisms, which is quite different from previous knowledge. The energy barrier of ER, LH, and MvK mechanisms are 0.557, 0.965, and 0.999 eV respectively at 0 K. The energy barrier of CO reaction with the adsorbed O species on the surface is as low as 0.106 eV, which is much more active in reacting with CO molecules than the lattice O of CuO (111) surface (0.999 eV). A comparison with the catalytic activity of the perfect Cu₂O (111) surface shows that the ER mechanism dictates both the perfect Cu₂O (111) and the CuO (111) surface activity for CO oxidation. The activity of the perfect Cu₂O (111) surface is higher than that of the perfect CuO (111) surface at elevated temperatures. A micro-kinetic model of CO oxidation on the perfect CuO (111) surface is established by providing the rate constants of elementary reaction steps in the Arrhenius form, which could be helpful for the modeling work of CO catalytic oxidation.     

Direct observation of an ordered step surface reconstruction on Au(111) by scanning tunneling microscopy

Experiments with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) are reported which include the first surface topographic images of Au(111), cleaned and annealed in ultrahigh vacuum. The STM system used for this work includes in situ sample manipulation for sample cleaning, annealing and characterization. Topographs with very large atomically flat (111) regions are obtained and no corrugation on the scale of about 0.1 Å is observed. Some single atomic steps are observed. Surprisingly, ordered arrays of single steps are observed over a large region. These represent a type of surface reconstruction whose repeat period agrees with values derived from previous LEED, TEM and ion scattering measurements. These results represent the first critical information about the surface topography of the Au(111) surface.     

Surface interactions of Au(I) cyclo-trimer with Au(111) and Al(111) surfaces: A computational study

A plane-wave density functional theory (DFT) study on surface interactions of a cyclo-[Au(μ-Pz)]₃ monolayer (denoted as T), Pz = pyrazolate, with Au(111) and Al(111) surfaces (denoted as M′) has been performed. Structural and electronic properties at the M′–T interfaces are determined from individually optimized structures of M′, T and M′–T. Results show that the gold pyrazolate trimer (T) binds more strongly on the Au(111) surface than on Al(111). Charge redistribution has been observed at both M′–T interfaces, where charge is “pushed” back towards the Au(111) surface from the trimer monolayer in Au(111)–T system, while the opposite happens in the Al(111)–T system where the charge is being pushed toward the trimer monolayer from the Al(111) surface. Considerable changes to the work function of Au(111) and Al(111) surfaces upon the trimer adsorption which arise from monolayer vacuum level shifts and dipole formation at the interfaces are calculated. The interaction between cyclo-[Au(μ-Pz)]₃ with metal surfaces causes band broadening of the gold pyrazolate trimer in M′–T systems. The present study aids better understanding of the role of intermolecular interactions, bond dipoles, energy-level alignment and electronic coupling at the interface of metal electrodes and organometallic semiconductor to help design metal–organic field effect transistors (MOFETs) and other organometallic electronic devices.     

Ag(111)和Au(111)上铋的初始生长行为

半金属铋(Bi)的表面合金具有的Rashba效应,和其具体结构性质有重要关联.本文结合扫描隧道显微镜(STM)和密度泛函理论(DFT),系统地研究了Bi原子在Ag(111)和Au(111)上的不同初始生长行为.在室温Ag(111)上,连续的Ag2Bi合金薄膜会优先在Ag台阶边缘形成;在570 K Ag(111)上,随着...     

Potential-induced strain relaxation in au mono- and bilayer films on Pt(111) electrode surfaces

In situ scanning tunneling microscopy observations of 1-2 monolayer thick Au films on Pt(111) electrodes are presented, which show a complex, potential-dependent structural phase behavior of the Au film. Starting from a pseudomorphic structure at <0.35 V(Ag/AgCl), a sequence of transitions into dislocation network structures occurs with increasing potential: (1x1)--> "striped phase" --> "hex phase" in the Au bilayer, (1x1)--> striped phase in the Au monolayer. This is explained by a reduction of the in-plane stress in the Au surface layer(s) due to anion adsorption and a strain energy minimization as described by the Frenkel-Kontorova model.     

Adsorption of carboxymethylester-azobenzene on copper and?gold?single crystal surfaces

The adsorption of 3,3′-di(methoxycarbonyl)azobenzene (CMA) on Au(111) and on Cu(001) substrates was studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements at the C, N, and O K edges. We find the molecules physisorbed in a planar conformation flat on the Au(111) surface. At higher coverages, a molecular crystal is formed wherein the molecules have the same flat geometry. On Cu(001), additional chemical bonds are formed between the molecules and the surface via the nitrogen atoms. Here the methyl benzoate moieties are tilted out of the surface plane.     

Ferryl (Fe=O) termination of the hematite alpha-Fe2O3(0001) surface

Using scanning tunneling microscopy and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy we have observed that the alpha-Fe2O3(0001) surface exhibits ferryl (Fe=O) groups, which may coexist with domains of the Fe-terminated surface. We therefore fully support ab initio calculations recently reported in the literature [W. Bergmeyer, H. Schweiger, and E. Wimmer, Phys. Rev. B 69, 195409 (2004)]. The close similarity to the results on the (0001) surfaces of Cr2O3 and V2O3 strongly suggests that the M=O termination under certain oxygen pressure conditions is the most stable for the close-packed surfaces of transition metal oxides with the corundum structure.