Adsorption and reaction of oxygen and deuterium on a Pd(110) surface, studied by Δφ and TDS

The co-adsorption of oxygen and deuterium at 100 K on a Pd(110) surface has been studied by measurements of the change in work function (Δφ) and by thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS). When the surface with co-adsorbed species is heated, the adsorbates O and D react to form D₂O which desorbs from the surface at T > 200 K. The D₂O desorption peaks shift continuously to lower temperatures as the surface D coverage (θ_D) increases. The maximum production of D₂O is estimated to be 0.26 ML (1 ML = 9.5 × 10¹⁴ atoms cm⁻²), resulting from reaction in a layer containing 0.65 ML D and 0.3 ML O. The maximum work function increase caused by adsorption of D to saturation onto oxygen precovered Pd(110) decreases almost linearly with Δφ_O of the oxygen precovered surface. On a surface with pre-adsorbed D however, the maximum Δφ increase contributed by oxygen adsorption decreases abruptly at Δφ_D > 200 mV. This sharp change occurs at θ_D > 1 ML and is believed to be associated with the development of the reconstructed (1 × 2) phase of D/Pd(110).     

Interaction of oxygen with the Pt(1 1 1) surface in wide conditions range. A DFT-based thermodynamical simulation

We present the results of ab initio calculations of oxygen atomic adsorption in a wide range of coverage on Pt(1 1 1). At θ = 0.25 ML, the O adsorption at fcc hollow site is clearly favoured over the hcp site. At θ = 0.5 ML, the O adsorption energy decreases but the same site is favoured. When experimental or theoretical previously reported data are available, the calculated adsorption energies and site preferences are in good agreement. Among the various configurations and coverages investigated in the present work, no adsorption is stable beyond θ = 0.5 ML, except by occupation of a subsurface tetrahedral site. In that case, a total O coverage of 0.75 ML could be achieved, which is only slightly less stable than the θ = 0.5 ML configuration.

The use of thermodynamics permitted to explore the temperature–pressure stability domain corresponding to 0.25 ML, 0.5 ML and 0.75 ML. From this, we conclude that subsurface O species could be stable at temperatures lower than 700 K, with O₂ pressures of 1 bar or less.     

X-ray diffraction study of Si(111)√3 × √3-Au

The structure of the Si(111)√3 × √3-Au surface has been investigated by the use of the surface X-ray diffraction with synchrotron radiation. The structure perpendicular to the surface was determined with respect to the Si bulk crystal. The results of least-squares analysis indicate that Au atoms are adsorbed on the Si substrate in which the first Si layer is missing. The heights of the Au layer and the Si second layer with respect to the intact Si third layer were estimated to be 3.09 ± 0.03 rA and 2.16 ± 0.10 rA, respectively. A possible model of the surface structure is proposed.     

Interaction of atomic oxygen (N2O) with a clean Si(001) surface: O adsorption geometries as derived from the O KVV Auger lineshape

The room temperature adsorption of N₂O on the clean Si(001)2 × 1 surface was used as a model system in an Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) study presented in this paper. Earlier experimental and recent theoretical work have provided evidence that this reaction evolves in discernible stages each exhibiting different adsorption geometries for the oxygen atom. In this AES study the intensity ratio of the KL₁L₁ and KL_2,3L_2,3 O Auger transitions, , was measured as a function of the fractional oxygen coverage, θ, and compared with our calculated intensity ratios and binding energy measurements of the O 1s photoelectron from literature. As a result we have found, for the first time, that (θ) can be related to a specific adsorption geometry in the submonolayer range. Moreover, we have found experimental evidence for an intermediate stable O adsorption state on the dimer at low coverage (θ 0.2 monolayer), as proposed earlier from theoretical studies.     

Desorption of H2 from W(110) and Fe covered W(110) surfaces

The kinetics of H₂ desorption from H/W(110) and H/Fe₁/W(110) were studied by measuring work function changes Δø vs time at a number of temperatures. Combination with previously determined Δø vs coverage data and differentiation at various fixed coverages gave rate vs T data from which activation energies of desorption could be obtained. E vs coverage results agree well with previously determine ΔH_des results. In the case of H/Fe₁/W(110) this includes a rise from 20 to 30 kcal mol⁻¹ of H₂ at H/Fe = H/W > 0.3. Plots of rate −dθ/dt vs θ (θ being coverage in units of H/W) vary much more steeply than θ² at most coverages for both systems. The θ dependence can be explained almost quantitatively in terms of the variations of ΔH_des and surface entropy S_s with coverage, by assuming that rates of desorption are equal to the equilibrium rates of adsorption. The latter can be formulated thermodynamically, except for a sticking coefficient, s. Values for s(θ, T) can also be obtained and show relatively little temperature dependence.     

STM investigations of CO coadsorption with O and with S on Ni(110)

The interaction between CO coadsorbed with oxygen and sulfur on Ni (110) has been studied with room temperature STM and LEED. In the case of CO/O/Ni(110)−(θ_o0.3 ML), it is found that due to a large local repulsion between the differing species, the coadsorbed species phase separate into large domains of O−(3 × 1) and CO−p2mg(2 × 1) structure. Similarly in the case of CO/S/Ni(110)−(θ_s0.4 ML), at low local coverages of coadsorbed CO, island segregation of CO and S-c(2 × 2) is observed. At locally saturated CO coverage, the S-c(2 × 2) structure transforms into long -S-S- chains running predominantly along the [ ] direction and separated by a local p2mg(2 × 1)-CO structure; this transformation is attributed to the large CO-CO repulsion in the condensed overlayer structure.     

Quantum-resolved angular distributions of neutral products in electron-stimulated processes: NO desorption from and NO2 dissociation on Pt(111)

We present the first quantum-resolved angular distributions of ground-state neutral molecules which are products of electron stimulated desorption (ESD) and electron stimulated dissociation. Laser resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) and two-dimensional imaging have been used to obtain angular distributions of NO desorbed by 350 eV electrons from O-precovered Pt(111). In a similar fashion, we have measured angular distributions for the NO product of NO₂ dissociation on clean and O-precovered Pt(111). In all cases, we observe narrow widths which are roughly the same as ion distributions determined by ESDIAD (ESD ion angular distributions). The angular distribution for NO ESD is sharply peaked (7° half-width at half maximum) along the surface normal for an O coverage (θ_o) of 0.25 monolayer (ML). The angular distribution of the NO product from dissociation of side-bonded NO₂ on clean Pt(111) is unexpectedly peaked about the surface normal, and thus does not reflect dissociative forces parallel to the surface or the 25° off-normal ground-state bond direction. On O-precovered Pt(111), where NO₂ is N-bonded, 6° off-normal beams are observed. When the substrate is precovered with θ_o > 0.5 ML, local disorder creates asymmetric site geometries which result in multiple peaked angular distributions with both normal and off-normal (9–10°) components; similar effects for NO ESD are observed. In all these studies, the NO angular distributions are invariant to rotational or vibrational state. This implies that the lateral translational degrees of freedom are essentially de-coupled from the internal modes of the molecule. The results are discussed in terms of desorption mechanisms, dissociative forces, site geometries, and disordered coadsorbate layers.     

Coverage dependent promoter action: K coadsorption and reactions with CO and CO2 on Pd{1 1 0}

The adsorption of CO and CO₂ on K-predosed Pd{1 1 0} at room temperature has been examined via reflection–absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS). CO₂ adsorbs on 0.37 ML K-predosed Pd{1 1 0} with high sticking probability and a reactive chemisorbed intermediate, CO₂⁻, is detected in RAIRS at room temperature. Reaction of this species ultimately yields carbonate. The same high K precoverage induces dissociation of CO at low CO exposure. Carbonate is detected at higher CO exposure and is probably produced via stepwise oxidation of molecularly adsorbed CO. In contrast at low K precoverage (0.11 ML), CO remains intact but the C–O bond is considerably weakened with respect to CO chemisorbed on clean Pd{1 1 0}. These findings illustrate a dual promoter mechanism of K in the adsorption and reaction of CO or CO₂ at high K coverage. The alkali metal induces dissociation of these molecules and directly participates in the formation of a surface compound, K₂CO₃.     

A first-principles study of surface and subsurface H on and in Ni(1 1 1): diffusional properties and coverage-dependent behavior

Periodic, self-consistent, density functional theory (GGA-PW91) calculations are performed for both surface and subsurface atomic hydrogen on and in Ni(1 1 1). At a low coverage (θ=0.25 ML), the binding energies (BEs) of a hydrogen atom in surface fcc, subsurface octahedral (first layer), and subsurface octahedral (second layer) sites are −2.89, −2.18, and −2.11 eV, respectively. The activation energy barriers for hydrogen diffusion from the surface to the first subsurface layer and from the first to the second subsurface layer are estimated to be 0.88 and 0.52 eV, respectively. In the entire coverage range studied, hydrogen occupies surface fcc and hcp sites and subsurface octahedral sites. In addition, the magnitude of the BE per hydrogen atom and the magnetization of the nickel slabs both decrease as hydrogen coverage increases. Vibrational frequencies of hydrogen at various surface and subsurface sites are calculated and are in reasonable agreement with experimental data. A phase stability calculation with a 2 × 2 surface unit cell shows that a p(2 × 2)-2H overlayer structure (θ=0.5 ML) and a p(1 × 1)-1H structure (θ=1.0 ML) are stable at low hydrogen pressures, in agreement with numerous experimental results. A very large increase in pressure is required to populate subsurface sites. After such an increase occurs, the first subsurface layer is filled completely.     

Monte Carlo optimisation of correlated wave functions for normal two-electron systems

A simple, new type of correlated wave function is proposed for the studies of normal two-electron atomic systems: ψ(r₁, r₂) = Σc_mΦ_m(r₁, r₂) with Φ_m(r₁, r₂) = exp[−(r₁ + r₂)]/(br₁₂ + a)^m, where , a, b are non-linear variational parameters. A notable feature of this basis function is that only three terms are required within the framework of the Raleigh-Ritz variational principle to obtain fairly accurate energy eigenvalues and satisfactory cusp conditions. The non-linear variational parameters are optimised by using the Monte Carlo technique.     

The influence of crystallographic steps on coadsorption: CO---O/Ni(119)

On low index nickel surfaces, repulsive interactions between atomic oxygen and CO drive the phase separation of these species into oxygen-rich and CO-rich islands. Because these adsorbates interact differently with crystallographic steps, the size and the structure of these islands are modified on stepped surfaces. We have monitored coadsorption-induced changes in the distribution of CO with IRRAS, observing six different CO stretching bands which are assigned to distinct local chemisorption environments. When oxygen fully saturates sites along the step edge, the steps are completely blocked from CO adsorption and virtually all the CO population on the terraces shifts from atop to bridge sites. This terrace site shift is similarly accomplished by atomic oxygen chemisorbed at terrace sites. From these coadsorption-induced changes in CO site distributions, constrained by the 10 Å terrace width, we conclude the through-metal O---CO interaction responsible for this CO site shift must be operative over a range of 5 Å. At θ_o = 0.18 ML, when oxygen occupies, but does not fully saturate the step edge, a new CO adsorption site is created, with a characteristic frequency of 1750 cm⁻¹. This new site is assigned to CO bonded to kinks along the step edge based upon its low intensity ( geometric kink density), enhanced binding strength and sensitivity to oxygen coverage. At higher oxygen coverages, compression of the CO adlayer is observed, with CO shifting to asymmetric bridge sites. As saturation coverage is approached, CO occupies weakly bound sites in close proximity ( 3 Å) to O adatoms, with high characteristic frequencies of 2100 cm⁻¹.     

Structure of the Si(011)-(16 × 2) surface and hydrogen desorption kinetics investigated using temperature-programmed desorption

D₂ temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) was used to probe the structure of the Si(011)-(16 × 2) surface. Deuterium was adsorbed at 200°C to coverages θ_D ranging up to complete saturation (approximately 1.1 ML) and the sample heated at 5°C s⁻¹. TPD spectra exhibited three second-order desorption peaks labelled β₂, β*₁ and β₁ centered at 430, 520 and 550°C. Of the proposed models for the Si(011)-(16 × 2) reconstruction, the present TPD results as a function of θ_D provide support for the adatom/dimer model with the β₂ peak assigned to D₂ desorption from the dihydride phase, while the β*₁ and β₁ peaks arise from adatom and surface-atom monohydride phases.     

X-ray single crystal analysis of HgBa2Ca2Cu3O8+δ and influence of oxygen stoichiometry on the superconducting properties

X-ray diffraction analyses of good-quality single crystals of HgBa₂Ca₂Cu₃O_8+δ, synthetized by a closed-vessel technique at low pressure, have lead to more definite results with respect to previous structural studies. Samples with T_c = 135 K showed a Cu occupancy of 16.1% on the Hg site at the origin of the unit cell. Excess oxygen appears to be present only in the basal plane at the interstitial site , 0 with an occupancy δ = 0.190 ± 0.015. This compound has the shortest copper oxygen apical distance within the mercury family (2.696(3) Å) together with an almost complete planarity of the CuO₂ planes. Variations in the excess oxygen content upon different heat treatments were analyzed by thermogravimetry and magnetic-susceptibility measurements. A correlation between δ and T_c could be derived, showing in particular that superconductivity exists down to a very low interstitial oxygen content.     

Surface diffusion of dysprosium on the W(1 1 1) facet

Diffusion of dysprosium on the (1 1 1) facet of a tungsten micromonocrystal was investigated by means of spectral analysis of field emission current fluctuations. The experimental spectral density functions of the current fluctuations were analysed by using Gesley and Swanson’s theoretical spectral density function, which enables to determine the surface diffusion coefficient D for dysprosium. Derived from the temperature dependence of D, the diffusion activation energy E is presented for some Dy coverages θ_(1 1 1). In the temperature range 400–600 K, the E first drops from 1.25 eV per atom at θ₍₁₁₁₎≈0.25 ML to 0.48 eV per atom at θ₍₁₁₁₎≈1 ML (corresponding to the minimum of the work function of the system), then increases to 1.03 eV per atom at θ₍₁₁₁₎≈1.3 ML. The results are discussed from the aspects of the substrate structure and interaction in the adsorbed layer.     

Potassium adsorption on graphite(0001)

Potassium adsorption on graphite has been studied with emphasis on the two-dimensional K adlayer below one monolayer. Data are presented for the work function versus coverage, high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) vibrational spectra of K-adlayers, low energy electron diffraction and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) spectra at different coverages. The data provide information regarding the vibrational properties of the K-adlayer, the metallization of the adlayer at submonolayer coverages, and the charge transfer from the K adatoms to the graphite substrate. Analysis of the work function, HREELS, and UPS data provides a qualitatively consistent picture of the charge state of the K adatoms, where at low coverages, below a critical coverage θ_c (θ_c=0.2–0.3), the K adatoms are dispersed and (partially) ionized, whereas at θ>θ_c islands of a metallic 2×2 K phase develops that coexist with the dispersed a K adatoms up to θ=1. We show that it is possible to understand the variation of the work function data based on a two-phase model without invoking a depolarization mechanism of adjacent dipoles, as is normally done for alkali-metal adsorption on metal surfaces. Similarly, the intensity variation as a function of coverage of the energy loss peak at 17 meV observed in HREELS, and the photoemission peak at E_b=0.5 eV seen in UPS can be understood from a two-phase model. A tentative explanation is presented that connects apparent discrepancies in the literature concerning the electronic structure of the K adlayer. In particular, a new assignment of the K-induced states near the Fermi level is proposed.     

Structure and superconductivity of HgBa2CuO4+δ

We have used neutron powder diffraction to investigate the defect structure of HgBa₂CuO_4+δ. An interstitial oxygen defect in the Hg plane is the primary doping mechanism. A superconducting transition temperature, T_{c onset}, of 95 K is achieved when ≈0.06 oxygen atoms per formula unit are incorporated at this site by annealing the sample at 500°C in pure oxygen. Annealing in argon at 500°C lowers the oxygen content in this site to ≈0.01 and results in a T_c of 59 K. The neutron powder diffraction data give evidence for a second defect in the Hg plane which we conclude involves the substitution of copper for about 8% of the mercury and the incorporation of additional oxygen (≈0.1 atoms per formula unit), presumably bonded to the copper defects. In the present samples, the concentration of this defect does not vary with synthesis conditions and its contribution to doping is, therefore, unclear. The structure of the compound is the same at room temperature and superconducting temperatures.     

Molecular adsorption and growth of n-butane adlayers on Pt(1 1 1)

The molecular adsorption of n-butane and the growth of n-butane adlayers on Pt(1 1 1) was investigated using molecular beam techniques, temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). It is found that as the surface coverage of n-butane increases, structural changes occur in the adlayer at surface temperatures near 98 K that are accompanied by changes in the binding energy and mobility of the adsorbed species. The film growth process can be divided into four distinct coverage regimes. At low coverages (θ<0.14 ML, where 1 ML is defined as one butane molecule per Pt atom) a disordered monolayer forms in which the butane molecules prefer to lie parallel to the surface in order to minimize their binding energy. At coverages from 0.14 to 0.20 ML, ordered regions develop within the monolayer in which the butane molecules also lie parallel to the surface. The binding energy in the ordered phase is lower than that in the disordered phase due to repulsive intermolecular interactions. A more densely-packed ordered phase begins to form at 98 K after the low-coverage ordered phase saturates at 0.20 ML. The experimental results suggest that the n-butane molecules tilt away from the surface in the high-coverage ordered phase. Finally, a disordered second layer phase forms after the high coverage ordered phase saturates at 0.35 ML. The molecules in the second layer are very mobile at 98 K and rapidly diffuse to the edges of the beam spot. Interchange of molecules between the second layer and ordered monolayer is found to govern the net rate of second layer diffusion at surface temperatures less than 133 K. The adsorption probability of n-butane on Pt(1 1 1) continuously increases with increasing coverage, with no significant dependencies on the structure of the n-butane adlayer. This finding indicates that the long-range arrangements and molecular orientations of a mobile alkane adlayer have a negligible influence on the intrinsic adsorption dynamics, suggesting that the energy transfer processes that facilitate adsorption are highly localized.     

Effect of surface orientation and sulfur coverage on the oxidation of carbon on Ni surfaces

The reaction between adsorbed oxygen and segregated carbon on a cylindrical nickel single-crystal has been examined with Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD), for a range of surface orientation, oxygen exposure, and sulfur coverage. It was found that for small oxygen exposures, surface carbon and surface oxygen react during TPD to form a CO desorption peak, labeled β₁. The β₁ CO peak temperature and peak shape vary with orientation. At higher oxygen coverages, the CO desorption peak split into low-temperature and high-temperature peaks. The behavior of the β₁ CO desorption peak for large oxygen exposures is consistent with a model of the carbon-oxygen recombination reaction in which the morphologies of the initial carbon and oxygen phases change during oxygen exposure as a result of repulsive lateral interactions. High oxygen exposures result in the formation of large regions of contact between the two phases; this is believed to produce the low-temperature β₁ CO desorption peak. Small segregated-sulfur coverages, and low oxygen exposures, caused the β₁ CO peak to shift to lower temperatures for all orientations. Sulfur is believed to cause more frequent contact between carbon and oxygen for small oxygen exposures because it compresses the adsorbed oxygen and segregated carbon into the sulfur-free areas of the surface. Large coverages of segregated sulfur inhibited carbon segregation on some, and oxygen adsorption on most, orientations. The absence of reactant species explains the disappearance of the β₁ CO peak during TPD from orientations which had a high sulfur coverage.     

Adsorption of oxygen and carbon dioxide on cesium-reconstructed Ag(1 1 0) surface

The adsorption of oxygen and carbon dioxide on cesium-reconstructed Ag(1 1 0) surface has been studied with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD). At 0.1 ML Cs coverage the whole surface exhibits a mixture of (1 × 2) and (1 × 3) reconstructed structures, indicating that Cs atoms exert a cooperative effect on the surface structures. Real-time STM observation shows that silver atoms on the Cs-covered surface are highly mobile on the nanometer scale at 300 K. The Cs-reconstructed Ag(1 1 0) surface alters the structure formed by dissociative adsorption of oxygen from p(2 × 1) or c(6 × 2) to a p(3 × 5) structure which incorporates 1/3 ML Ag atoms, resulting in the formation of nanometer-sized (10–20 nm) islands. The Cs-induced reconstruction facilitates the adsorption of CO₂, which does not adsorb on unreconstructed, clean Ag(1 1 0). CO₂ adsorption leads to the formation of locally ordered (2 × 1) structures and linear (2 × 2) structures distributed inhomogeneously on the surface. Adsorbed CO₂ desorbs from the Cs-covered surface without accompanied O₂ desorption, ruling out carbonate as an intermediate. As a possible alternative, an oxalate-type surface complex [OOC–COO] is suggested, supported by the occurrence of extensive isotope exchange between oxygen atoms among CO₂(a). Direct interaction between CO₂ and Cs may become significant at higher Cs coverage (>0.3 ML).     

The adsorbate-induced removal of the Pt{100} surface reconstruction Part I: NO

The molecular adsorption of NO on both the reconstructed (hex) and unreconstructed (1 × 1) surfaces of Pt{100} has been studied using a combination of infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRAS) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED) at temperatures between 90 and 300 K. On the (1 × 1) surface at 300 K adsorbed NO gives rise to an N-O stretching band at initially 1596 cm⁻¹ shifting to 1641 cm⁻¹ at a coverage of θ = 0.5. The LEED pattern at this coverage is interpreted in terms of a c(4 × 2) structure in which all the molecules occupy a single type of adsorption site between the on-top and bridge positions. At temperatures below 300 K, a higher coverage disordered phase is observed, giving rise to an N-O stretching band at 1680 cm⁻¹ associated with an on-top NO species. On the (hex) phase surface above 210 K, NO adsorption gives rise to bands characteristic of adsorption on the (1 × 1) phase indicating that the reconstruction is immediately lifted. Below 200 K initial adsorption actually occurs directly on the (hex) phase, resulting in a band at 1680 cm⁻¹, which is assigned to on-top NO. This band increases in intensity until, at a critical coverage dependent on temperature, the (hex) → (1 × 1) surface phase transition is induced. This is indicated by the disappearance of the band at 1680 cm⁻¹ and its replacement by bands characteristic of adsorption on islands of the (1 × 1) structure.