Structural effects on water formation from coadsorbed H + O on Rh(100)

The effect of adsorbate coverage, adsorption sequence and temperature on the structure, composition and reactivity of coadsorbed layers, produced by dissociative adsorption of O₂ and H₂ at 200 K on a Rh(100) surface, has been studied by combined TPD, XPS and LEED measurements. The emphasis is on the impact of the structure and composition of the mixed O + H layers on the synthesis of hydroxyl and water as a result of the O + H surface reaction. The difference in the O 1s binding energies of adsorbed O (529.9 eV) and OH species (530.8 eV) was used as a fingerprint to monitor the formation of the OH species. The H₂O TPD spectra show substantial variations of the desorption temperature range and the amount of water evolved with coadsorbate coverage and structure: from 270 to 350 K and from 0 to 0.08 ML, respectively. It has been found that dense O + H adlayers, where the O coverage is in the range 0.25-0.4 ML, favor the formation of stable OH species. The maximum amount of stable hydroxyl OH species ( 0.16 ML) can be produced by heating of these dense adlayers to 260 K. This results in reordering of the adspecies to form a new O + OH − (2 × 6) structure, where hydroxyls react readily to evolve 0.08 ML of water in a sharp desorption peak at 280 K. The effect of the adlayer density and restructuring on the production of OH and H₂O is discussed.     

Methanethiolate structural phases on Cu{1 1 1} observed using a novel fibre-optic low-energy electron diffraction instrument

We have used a novel fibre-optic low-energy electron diffraction (FO-LEED) instrument, capable of low flux measurements that minimise electron beam damage to surface overlayers, to study methanethiolate (CH₃-S-) structural phases formed on Cu{1 1 1} at temperatures between 110 and 300 K. Three structural phases were seen: a (√3 × √3)R30° phase that forms at 110-140 K; a (4 × 4) phase which was observed transiently at 110 K; and a pseudo-{1 0 0} reconstructed phase which forms at room temperature. We discuss these in the context of previous studies of this system, and demonstrate the ability of the FO-LEED instrument to record high-quality LEED patterns and intensity data from a strongly beam-sensitive surface.     

Adsorption of Pb on NiAl(1 1 0): energetics and structure

The adsorption of Pb onto a NiAl(1 1 0) single crystal surface at 300 K has been studied by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), Low energy electron diffraction (LEED), molecular beam/surface scattering and single crystal adsorption calorimetry (SCAC). AES indicates a Stranski-Krastanov growth mode, i.e., Pb initially grows on NiAl(1 1 0) two-dimensionally until the first layer completes at 0.89 ML, where a superstructure is observed by LEED, followed by 3D islanding. Measurements of the Pb gas that does not stick indicate that Pb sticks on NiAl(1 1 0) with an initial probability of 0.99. The initial heat of adsorption of Pb on NiAl(1 1 0) is 249 ± 10 kJ/mol. Due to the repulsive interactions between Pb adatoms, the heat of adsorption decreases within the first layer to a value identical to the heat of sublimation of bulk Pb (195 kJ/mol), where it remains at higher coverages. This first application of adsorption calorimetry on such a thick sample (75 μm versus 0.2-8 μm previously) demonstrates that adsorption calorimetry can be extended to a wider range of surfaces, since this thickness can be achieved with nearly any single crystal material by simple mechanical thinning.     

Growth and oxidation of Cr films on the W(1 0 0) surface

The growth and oxidation of Cr films on the W(1 0 0) surface have been studied with low energy electron microscopy (LEEM) and diffraction (LEED). Cr grows in a Stranski-Krastanov (SK) mode above about 550 K and in a kinetically limited layer-by-layer mode at lower temperature. Stress relief in the highly strained pseudomorphic (ps) Cr film appears to be achieved by the formation of (4 × 4) periodic inclusions during the growth of the third layer between 575 and 630 K and by growth morphological instabilities of the third layer at higher temperature. Kinetic or stress-induced roughening is observed at lower temperature. In the SK regime, three-dimensional (3D) Cr islands nucleate after the growth of three Cr layers. 3D island nucleation triggers dewetting of one layer from the surrounding Cr film. Thus, two ps Cr layers are thermodynamically stable. However, one and two layer ps Cr films are unstable during oxidation. 3D clusters, that produce complex diffraction features and are believed to be Cr₂O₃, are formed during oxidation of one Cr layer at elevated temperature, T ? 790 K. The single layer Cr film remains intact during oxidation at T ? 630 K. 3D bulk Cr clusters are formed predominantly during oxidation of two ps Cr layers.     

Novel structural phases of Dy thin films on W(1 1 2)

Thin films of the rare-earth metal Dy were grown on W(1 1 2) at room temperature and 570 K. Then the resultant film morphologies were characterised by LEED and STM. A series of novel film morphologies, including c(4 × 6), c(5 × 12) and (5 × 8) structures, were found that are unique among the rare-earth metals. High thermal stability was found for the Dy films (up to 1650 K, close to the melting point at 1685 K) such that the Dy atoms preserved an ordered structure and the Dy volatility was less than would be expected from its vapour pressure. This is an indication of strong electronic interactions between the Dy atoms and the W(1 1 2) substrate.     

The processes of ordering and formation of two-dimensional glasses at metal surfaces

Using the experimental results obtained for the Dy-Mo(1 1 2) system, we discuss the possibilities and mechanisms of formation of two-dimensional (2D) glasses on metal surfaces. It has been found that in the coverage range 0.07 < θ < 0.58, ordered Dy superstructures formed and observed at T < 400 K are irreversibly destroyed by annealing to higher temperatures and turn into an amorphous (glass) structure on cooling. It is supposed that this conversion is caused by the formation, at T > 400 K, of a Dy-Mo surface alloy in which the rate of Dy surface diffusion is strongly reduced in comparison with its value in the absence of alloying. As a result, the mobility of Dy adatoms becomes too low at the temperatures corresponding to the ordered equilibrium state of the surface, and this state cannot be achieved in reasonable relaxation time. This interpretation is corroborated by the experimental data on substantial suppression of surface diffusion in some coadsorbed layers. Since surface glasses contact with ordered (crystalline) substrates, their structure may have a peculiar character different from that of “conventional” metal glasses. Surface glasses can find a number of applications as rather stable systems that combine low dimensionality, specific electronic structure of their constituents and extremely high density of defects.     

Preparation of the subnanometer thick epitaxial Al2O3(0001) layers on Fe(110) for magnetic tunnel junctions

Growth as well as crystallographic and electronic properties of thin AlO_x layers on Fe(110) were studied by means of low-energy electron diffraction and Auger-electron spectroscopy. Al layers of different thickness were deposited on Fe(110) and successfully oxidized to AlO_x. The step-by-step oxidation of thin Al layers at room temperature leads to the formation of amorphous AlO_x on top of the Fe(110) surface. A subsequent annealing at 250 °C of the oxidized 7-Å thick Al layer results in the formation of a well-ordered Al₂O₃(0001) layer on the Fe(110) surface.     

Quantitative surface analysis by Auger and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Recent developments in quantitative surface analysis by Auger (AES) and x-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopies are reviewed and problems relating to a more accurate quantitative interpretation of AES/XPS experimental data are discussed. Special attention is paid to consideration of elementary physical processes involved and influence of multiple scattering effects on signal line intensities. In particular, the major features of core-shell ionization by electron impact, Auger transitions and photoionization are considered qualitatively and rigorous approaches used to calculate the respective transition probabilities are analysed. It is shown that, in amorphous and polycrystalline targets, incoherent scattering of primary and signal Auger and photoelectrons can be described by solving analytically a kinetic equation with appropriate boundary conditions. The analytical results for the angular and energy distribution, the mean escape depth, and the escape probability as a function of depth of origin of signal electrons as well as that for the backscattering factor in AES are in good agreement with the corresponding Mote Carlo simulation data. Methods for inelastic background subtraction, surface composition determination and depth-profile reconstructions by angle-resolved AES/XPS are discussed. Examples of novel techniques based on x-ray induced photoemission are considered.     

用低能电子衍射研究Ag(100)表面吸附氯的表面结构

引言我们曾研究了金属镍,铜,钛,钨,铝,铁,银,铂,钼等和非金属硅与石墨及ⅢA—VA与ⅡB—ⅥA化合物晶体等的弛豫、重构和吸附表而的60多个表面结构。本文报道研究Ag(100)c(2×2)—C1表面的结果。Zanazzi和Jona观测了Ag(100)c(2×2)—C1表面结构的21束LEED谱,并采用层—KKR(Korring—Kohn—Rostocker)法,对清洁的Ag(100)表面吸附C1原子时假设了4种结构模型。经理论计算与观测值的比较,提出了C1原子的单层吸附和C1原子与Ag原子     

Segregation of Pt at clean surfaces of (Pt, Ni)3Al

Experimental evidence for surface segregation of Pt at (1 1 1) surfaces of ternary (Pt, Ni)₃Al alloys is presented, based upon Auger electron spectroscopy, low energy ion scattering, and angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Density functional calculations in the dilute limit confirm that Pt segregation is energetically favored.