The structures of sulphur on Pd(111) studied by X-ray standing wavefield absorption and surface EXAFS

The surface structures of R30°-S and R19.1°-S on Pd(111) have been investigated by normal incidence X-ray standing wave (NIXSW) absorption and surface extended X-ray absorption fine structure (SEXAFS). NIXSW measurements show that the most likely site of S adsorption in the R30° phase is the threefold “fcc” hollow. The location of the S atoms at the “fcc” hollow site is consistent with S adsorption on the neighbouring fcc (111) transition metal surfaces. SEXAFS analysis revealed a S–Pd nearest neighbour bond distance of 2.28±0.04 Å. The results for the R19.1° phase suggest that the structure involves a mixed S–Pd overlayer, with the S–Pd vertical layer spacing equal to the Pd bulk 111 spacing.     

Tensor LEED analysis for the electrodeposited Pt(1 1 1)-(3×3)–Ag,I surface structure

A crystallographic analysis is reported using low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) in the tensor LEED approach for the electrodeposited coadsorption (3×3) structure with 4/9 monolayer (ML) of silver and 4/9 ML of iodine on the Pt(1 1 1) surface. The structure approximates a two-layer slice of bulk AgI cut parallel to its (1 1 1) plane and superimposed on the substrate with the Ag atoms in contact with the topmost Pt(1 1 1) layer, and the I atoms forming an overlayer on the Ag atoms. There are two types of Ag atoms in the (3×3) unit mesh; one type bonds to a single Pt atom, while the other type bonds to three Pt atoms. The average Ag–Pt bond distances are close to 2.48 and 2.82 Å respectively for the one and three-coordinate Ag atoms, but both types of Ag atoms bond to three I atoms with an average Ag–I distance of 2.67 Å. No significant corrugation is observed for either the I layer or the Ag layer.     

LEED crystallographic analysis for the Rh(111)-(2 × 1)---O surface structure

A tensor LEED analysis is reported for the Rh(111)-(2 × 1)---O surface structure in which atoms in the O overlayer chemisorb close to the regular (fcc type) three-fold hollow sites for half-monolayer coverage. The structure shows significant relaxations: for example, a buckling of about 0.07 Å is indicated in the first metal layer and O appears to displace laterally by about 0.05 Å. The individual O---Rh bond lengths are around 2.01 and 1.92 Å to top layer Rh atoms, which bond to two and one O atoms, respectively, but the average value (1.98 Å) is close to that in bulk RhO₂ (1.96 Å). Comparison is also made with the previously determined O---Rh bond lengths in the Rh(110)-p2mg(2 × 1) surface structure.     

Local adsorption sites and bondlength changes in Ni(1 0 0)/H/CO and Ni(1 0 0)/CO

The local adsorption geometry of CO adsorbed in different states on Ni(1 0 0) and on Ni(1 0 0) precovered with atomic hydrogen has been determined by C 1s (and O 1s) scanned-energy mode photoelectron diffraction, using the photoelectron binding energy changes to characterise the different states. The results confirm previous spectroscopic assignments of local atop and bridge sites both with and without coadsorbed hydrogen. The measured Ni–C bondlengths for the Ni(1 0 0)/CO states show an increase of 0.16 ± 0.04 Å in going from atop to bridge sites, while comparison with similar results for Ni(1 1 1)/CO for threefold coordinated adsorption sites show a further lengthening of the bond by 0.05 ± 0.04 Å. These changes in the Ni–CO chemisorption bondlength with bond order (for approximately constant adsorption energy) are consistent with the standard Pauling rules. However, comparison of CO adsorbed in the atop geometry with and without coadsorbed hydrogen shows that the coadsorption increases the Ni–C bondlength by only 0.06 ± 0.04 Å, despite the decrease in adsorption energy of a factor of 2 or more. This result is also reproduced by density functional theory slab calculations. The results of both the experiments and the density functional theory calculations show that CO adsorption onto the Ni(1 0 0)/H surface is accompanied by significant structural modification; the low desorption energy may then be attributed to the energy cost of this restructuring rather than weak local bonding.     

Local structure of OH adsorbed on the Ge(0 0 1)(2 × 1) surface using scanned-energy mode photoelectron diffraction

The local geometry of OH fragments adsorbed on the Ge(0 0 1)(2 × 1) surface has been examined using O 1s scanned energy mode photoelectron diffraction. These fragments were obtained by the dissociative reaction of the clean surface with H₂O. The Ge–O bond length is found to be 1.76 ± 0.02 Å and the Ge–O bond angle to be 15° ± 2° relative to the surface normal. Some information about the positions of the Ge dimer atoms has also been obtained.     

Sulfur adsorption on Fe(1 1 0): a DFT study

The adsorption of atomic S on the Fe(1 1 0) surface is examined using density functional theory (DFT). Three different adsorption sites are considered, including the atop, hollow and bridge sites and the S is adsorbed at a quarter monolayer coverage in a p(2 × 2) arrangement. The hollow site is found to be the most stable, followed by the bridge and atop sites. At all three sites, S adsorption results in relatively minor surface reconstruction, with the most significant being that for the hollow site, with lateral displacements of 0.09 Å. Comparisons between S-adsorbed and pure Fe surfaces revealed reductions in the magnetic moments of surface-layer Fe atoms in the vicinity of the S. At the hollow site, the presence of S causes an increase in the surface Fe d-orbital density of states between 4 and 5 eV. However, S adsorption has no significant effect on the structure and magnetic properties of the lower substrate layers.     

The adsorption site and orientation of CH3S on Ni(111)

The angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectra for 0.15 monolayers (ML) of sulfur, and 0.25 ML methyl thiolate formed at 100 K and annealed to 150 and 250 K, on Ni(111) are analyzed to determine the structures of these species. It is found that sulfur adsorbs on the face-centered cubic hollow site on Ni(111) with a S---Ni bond length of 2.20±0.02 Å. The thiolate species formed at 150 K has the C---S bond tilted at 35° to the surface normal with a C---S bond length of 1.85±0.02 Å and a S---Ni bond length similar to that for adsorbed sulfur (2.2 Å). The methyl group is tilted toward the bridge site and the thiolate appears to be adsorbed on the face-centered cubic site although there may also be adsorption in the hexagonal close packed site. The species formed at 250 K adsorbs on a reconstructed surface where the chemical shift of the S 2p core level indicates that it adsorbs at a four-fold site and the angle-resolved XPS data indicate that the C---S bond is oriented normal to the surface. The calculated angular variations in intensity are consistent with this interpretation but cannot distinguish between the various models proposed for the reconstructed surface.     

Adsorption position of oxygen on the Pt(111) surface

The adsorption position of oxygen on the clean Pt(111) surface has been determined by means of the transmission channeling technique. Oxygen adsorbs in a well ordered p(2 × 2) overlayer structure at temperatures 200 T 350 K. From an analysis of the angular scans along the [111], [110] and [100] axial directions it is concluded that the O atoms are adsorbed in the fcc three-fold hollow site exclusively at a height of 0.85 ± 0.06 Å above the Pt surface layer. From a narrowing of the [111] angular O scan, the O RMS displacement parallel to the surface is found to be 0.16 ±0.03 Å.     

LEED crystallographic analysis for the structure formed by 2 ML of O at the Zr(0001) surface

A tensor LEED analysis is reported for the Zr(0001)-(1 × 1)-O surface which involves oxygen at a total coverage of 2 monolayers. The structure is indicated to have two layers of O: one forms an overlayer in which the O atoms bond to hollow sites of three-fold coordination on the regular metal surface, while the other layer has the O atoms in tetrahedral hole sites between the first and second metal layers. The stacking sequence, designated as (C)B(A)AB... corresponds to the first three layers of anion-terminated cubic ZrO₂, although some lateral compression is needed for superposition on the regular hcp Zr structure. The absorption of O in the tetrahedral holes results in a significant expansion in the first-to-second Zr---Zr interlayer spacing to about 3.44 Å from the bulk vaue of 2.57 Å. The O---Zr bond lengths are estimated to equal 2.07 Å for the overlayer O atoms, and 2.21 Å for the O atoms in tetrahedral hole sites. Comparisons are made with the structures of the corresponding 0.5 and 1 ML surfaces formed by the O/Zr(0001) system.     

Structures of sulfur on TiO2(1 1 0) determined by scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and low-energy electron diffraction

The temperature dependent adsorption of sulfur on TiO₂(1 1 0) has been studied with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). Sulfur adsorbs dissociatively at room temperature and binds to fivefold coordinated Ti atoms. Upon heating to 120°C, 80% of the sulfur desorbs and the S 2p peak position changes from 164.3±0.1 to 162.5±0.1 eV. This peak shift corresponds to a change of the adsorption site to the position of the bridging oxygen atoms of TiO₂(1 1 0). Further heating causes little change in S coverage and XPS binding energies, up to a temperature of 430°C where most of the S desorbs and the S 2p peak shifts back to higher binding energy. Sulfur adsorption at 150°C, 200°C, and 300°C leads to a rich variety of structures and adsorption sites as observed with LEED and STM. At low coverages, sulfur occupies the position of the bridging oxygen atoms. At 200°C these S atoms arrange in a (3×1) superstructure. For adsorption between 300°C and 400°C a (3×3) and (4×1) LEED pattern is observed for intermediate and saturation coverage, respectively. Adsorption at elevated temperature reduces the substrate as indicated by a strong Ti³⁺ shoulder in the XPS Ti 2p_3/2 peak, with up to 15.6% of the total peak area for the (4×1) structure. STM of different coverages adsorbed at 400°C indicates structural features consisting of two single S atoms placed next to each other along the [0 0 1] direction at the position of the in-plane oxygen atoms. The (3×3) and the (4×1) structure are formed by different arrangements of these S pairs.     

Four-fold hollow site for S in a Ni(100) raft on NiO(100)

The reaction of H₂S with NiO(100) has been studied by polarization-dependent surface EXAFS. The results evidence reduction of the selvedge to form a Ni raft having S in four-fold sites with a S–Ni bond length of 2.21±0.02 Å. The Ni–Ni in-plane distance is 2.77±0.09 Å, representing a 6±4% contraction compared to that in NiO(100).     

Photoelectron diffraction study of a catalytically active overlayer: C2H2 on Pd{111}

A quantitative structure determination of a newly discovered (2×2) adsorption phase of acetylene chemisorbed on Pd{111} has been performed by scanned-energy mode photoelectron diffraction: this phase corresponds to the threshold coverage for the catalytic conversion of acetylene to benzene. The carbon atoms in the C₂H₂ molecule are located almost over bridge sites with a C–C bond length of 1.34+0.10 Å, the centre of the molecule being positioned almost over a hollow site. Of the two hollow sites the hcp site (directly above a second layer Pd atom) is favoured, particularly by a subset of the data most sensitive to this aspect of the structure, but the full analysis indicates that the fcc site (above a third layer Pd atom) cannot formally be excluded. The adsorption site adopted by acetylene in the higher coverage phase on Pd{111} is essentially identical. This is the dominant structure in the coverage regime which is catalytically active for the conversion of acetylene to benzene. The implications of these findings for acetylene coupling reactions over Pd{111} are discussed.     

LEED structure determination of the Ni(1 1 1)(√3×√3)R30°-Sn surface

Quantitative low energy electron diffraction has been used to determine the structure of the Ni(1 1 1)(√3×√3)R30°-Sn surface phase. The results confirm that the surface layer comprises a substitutional alloy of composition Ni₂Sn as previously found by low energy ion scattering (LEIS), and also shows that there is no stacking fault at the substrate/alloy interface as has been found in (√3×√3)R30°-Sb surface alloys on Ag and Cu(1 1 1). The surface alloy layer is rumpled with the Sn atoms 0.45 ± 0.03 Å higher above the substrate than the surrounding Ni atoms. This rumpling amplitude is almost identical to that previously reported on the basis of the LEIS study. Comparison with similar results for Sn-induced surface alloy phases on Ni(1 0 0) and Ni(1 1 0) shows a clear trend to reduced rumpling with reduced surface atomic layer density, an effect which can be rationalised in terms of the different effects of valence electron charge smoothing at the surface.     

The structure of ammonia molecules on MgO(100) surfaces from monolayer to bulk condensation

The structure of ND₃ molecules adsorbed on MgO (100) surfaces has been studied by neutron diffraction within the 10–80 K temperature range and at 0.7, 1 and 2.3 monolayer coverage. The neutron spectra suggest that the monolayer presents a short range order with a hcp packing of ammonia molecules, a coherence length of 25 ± 2 Å and a nearest neighbour distance of 3.61 ± 0.04 Å The molecular spacing remains the same between 10 and 80K that we interpret as small higher order commensurate islands. Above one monolayer coverage, bulk crystallites form on top of the first monolayer.     

Adsorption and dissociation of CO on Fe(1 1 0) from first principles

We employ spin-polarized periodic density functional theory (DFT) to characterize CO adsorption and dissociation on the Fe(1 1 0) surface. We investigate the site preference for CO on Fe(1 1 0) at θ_CO = 0.25 and 0.5 monolayer (ML), for different functional forms of the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) to electron exchange and correlation within DFT. At 0.25 ML, we predict the existence of a new ordered structure comparable in stability to one proposed previously. At 0.5 ML, we confirm the preference of a distorted on-top adsorption configuration suggested by experiment. The calculated heats of adsorption, CO stretching frequencies, and work function changes agree well with experiment. When dissociating from the on-top site, we predict that CO first moves off the on-top site and then goes through a lying-down transition state with a barrier of 1.52 eV. Diffusion of CO on Fe(1 1 0) from the on-top site to the long-bridge site is predicted to have a very small barrier of 0.1 eV. Dissociation of CO from the long-bridge site goes through the same transition state as from the on-top site, but the former has a slightly lower barrier. After dissociation, O atoms remain on the surface while C atoms are embedded into Fe(1 1 0), indicating C atoms may readily diffuse into Fe(1 1 0).     

The energetics of mercury adsorption on Cu(100)

We have investigated the adsorption of mercury overlayers on Cu(100) by atom beam scattering, low energy electron diffraction and angle resolved photoemission. From our data we have calculated the isosteric heats in the adsorbed Hg layer on Cu(100) and compared these with results obtained for mercury on Fe(100), W(100) and Ni(100). We observe changes in the isosteric heat of adsorption that can be associated with the ordering of a c(2 × 2) Hg overlayer phase and the transition from a c(2 × 2) overlayer to a c(4 × 4) overlayer. The isosteric heat of adsorption is 0.50 ± 0.07 eV/atom (48 ± 7 kJ/mol) at zero coverage and reaches a maximum of 0.73 ± 0.04 eV/atom (70 ± 4 kJ/mol). From a combination of ABS and LEED, the structures of the two equilibrium ordered phases of Hg on Cu(100) have been identified, as well as the structures of several non-equilibrium phases.     

XPS and RBS investigations of Si–Er–O interactions on a Si(1 0 0)-2x1 surface

The interactions among erbium, oxygen and silicon atoms on a Si(1 0 0)-2x1 reconstructed surface have been studied by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Erbium and oxygen were deposited at 600 °C on the Si surface and their behavior has been observed after different thermal processes. It was found that at 600 °C, the formation of a stable surface complex Er–O–Si is obtained together with Si oxidation; after an 800 °C annealing, the amount of oxygen bound to Si decreases and the remaining O atoms are mainly bonded to Er. An abrupt change was observed after 900 and 1000 °C annealings, which bury the Er atoms about 60 Å below the substrate surface. Our results give some hints to hypotise the O diffusion towards the Si bulk.     

Substitutional adsorption of K on Fe(100)

The adsorption of potassium on Fe(100) was studied by time-of-flight forward scattering and recoiling spectroscopy (TOF-SARS), low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). After heating to 650 K of the potassium saturated surface the formation of a p(3 × 3) potassium superstructure was observed by LEED. TOF-SARS experiments ruled out the adsorption of potassium in the on-top, bridge and four-fold hollow site. The only site which is in agreement with all experimental results is the substitutional site where K replaces an Fe atom of the topmost layer of the crystal. This is the first time a substitutional adsorption site has been found on a bcc surface. On an fcc surface such an adsorption site has been found recently for adsorption of sodium and potassium on Al(111).     

Interaction of CO molecules with surface state electrons on Ag(1 1 1)

Like other close-packed noble metal surfaces, Ag(1 1 1) exhibits an occupied Shockley-type surface state that is believed to influence the adsorption of atoms and molecules. Using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy, we have directly probed this interaction by investigating the local CO distribution dependent on the Ag(1 1 1) surface state standing wave pattern forming in the neighborhood of strong scattering centers such as step edges or hexagonal holes. A quantitative analysis of the STM data reveals that the CO molecules are not arbitrarily distributed upon adsorption at 5 K; they adsorb preferentially near the minima of the standing wave pattern.     

The structure of oxygen on Cu(1 0 0) at low and high coverages

The local adsorption structure of oxygen on Cu(1 0 0) has been studied using O 1s scanned-energy mode photoelectron diffraction. A detailed quantitative determination of the structure of the 0.5 ML (√2×2√2)R45°-O ordered phase confirms the missing-row character of this reconstruction and agrees well with earlier structural determinations of this phase by other methods, the adsorbed O atoms lying only approximately 0.1 Å above the outermost Cu layer. At much lower coverages, the results indicate that the O atoms adopt unreconstructed hollow sites at a significantly larger O–Cu layer spacing, but with some form of local disorder. The best fit to these data is achieved with a two-site model involving O atoms at Cu–O layer spacings of 0.41 and 0.70 Å in hollow sites; these two sites (also implied by an earlier electron-energy-loss study) are proposed to be associated with edge and centre positions in very small c(2×2) domains as seen in a recent scanning tunnelling microscopy investigation.