A LEED and AES study of the adsorption of bromine on W(100) at room temperature

Bromine gas adsorbs atomically on W(100) at room temperature to a saturation concentration of θ = 0.88 relative to the surface tungsten atom density (10¹⁹ m^?2). Below θ ～ 0.4, a c(2 × 2) overlayer is formed. Beyond this a ($\text{3}\text{4}$√2 × √2)R45° structure is preferred and this saturates at θ = 0.67. Higher surface bromine concentrations result in hexagonal variable compression structures on W(100). The sequence begins w structures on W(100). The sequence begins with a c(4 × 2) coincidence mesh which at higher coverages is compressed in one 〈0,1〉 substrate direction. At certain compressions the overlayer achieves p(5 × 2), c(6 × 2), p(7 × 2) coincident configurations and perhaps c(8 × 2) at saturation. This would correspond to θ = 0.875 and is the closest coincidence structure to a perfect hcp overlayer. Bromine prefers a rectangular overlayer geometry on W(100) and compression into an hexagonal array greatly reduces the overlayer stability. The nn repulsions incurred limit room temperature adsorption as the overlayer compresses to perfect hep. Halogen behaviour on W(100) is compared with that on Fe(100). Most differences can be explained in terms of geometrical and bond strength differences but chlorine on W(100) appears to be an exception to this rule.