Electron spectroscopy of surfaces by impact of metastable He atoms: CO on Pd(110)

Deexcitation of metastable He1 2¹S (excitation energy E1 = 20.6 eV) or 2³S (E* =19.8 eV) atoms at a clean Pd(110) surface proceeds through a two-stage process (resonance ionization + Auger neutralization, RI + AN). The measured electron energy distribution reflects the self-convolution of the local density of states of the outmost atomic layer. A CO adlayer suppresses the RI step and the spectra are caused by Auger deexcitation (Penning ionization). Comparison with corresponding UPS data allows identification of the valence orbitals of the adsorbate. Emission up to the Fermi level is ascribed to contributions from the 5σ level. The effectively available excitation energy in front of the adlayer is lowered by 0.5 eV. Extensive data on the variation of the intensities from the adsorbate valence levels with angle of incidence as well as of emission are presented and are analyzed in terms of an empirical model.