Coadsorption of oxygen and carbon monoxide on tungsten: Desorption spectra,electron stimulated desorption and field emission microscopy

CO/W desorption spectra are characterized by an α state and multiple β states; using electron stimulated desorption (ESD) the α state was shown to comprise two sub-states, α₁ and α₂. In this paper the consecutive interactions of O₂ and CO on W are investigated using ESD, flash desorption and field emission microscopy (FEM).Desorption spectra show that the α-CO state is displaced by O₂, in two stages. The ESD probe provides an identification of the first stage with the removal of the α₁-CO state, and energy analysis of ESD ions reveals a large energy shift (～ ? 1.5 eV) during O₂ coadsorption which can be attributed to an incresae in the α₁-CO WC bond length of ～ 0.15 Å. During this O₂-induced displacement, the two β peaks converge into a single peak at the β₁ position; this is ascribed to adatom interactions in the mixed O and C adlayer. Isotope exchange experiments with ²⁸CO and ³⁶O₂ reveal (i) no exchange in the α-CO states, and (ii) complete exchange in the β-CO states, which is consistent with dissociative adsorption in the latter. The amount of coadsorbed O₂ is estimated from these results, and from FEM data: a full monolayer of O adatoms can be coadsorbed on CO-saturated W, but CO pre-adsorption inhibits the formation of W oxides. The β₁-O₂ (ESD active) state also forms on the CO-covered surface: this state is identical in population, ESD cross section and ion energy distribution to β₁-O₂ on clean W, and retains its identity in the mixed layer (it does not undergo isotopic exchange). CO₂ desorption spectra from the mixed layer were also characterised, complete isotopic scrambling being observed.Pre-exposure of tungsten to O₂ inhibits CO adsorption: a monolayer of O₂ is sufficient to prevent CO adsorption, and at low O₂ coverages, every O₂ molecule preadsorbed prevents one CO molecule from adsorbing. Isotopic exchange is again complete in the β states, and a lateral interaction model for desorption kinetics, based on dissociative adsorption in the β-CO state, quantitatively describes the CO desorption spectra.