Benzene and ethylene chemisorbed on transition metals; The measurement of energy level shifts which accompany chemisorption

Ultraviolet photoemission spectra for ethylene chemisorbed on Ag(110) and benzene on Ag(110) and Ru(001) indicate adsorption with minimal molecular distortions. A survey of the photoemission data for ethylene and benzene similarly adsorbed on transition metals indicate that the relaxation shift in the binding energy of molecular Orbitals not contributing to the chemisorption bond is essentially independent of the metal when obtained using the value of the work function when the surface is saturated with adsorbate. This observation is in agreement with a theoretical analysis where final state image charge screening is the dominant relaxation mechanism. These observations support the choice of the work function of the surface saturated with adsorbate as the approximation of the adsorption site potential.