Chemisorption of Li and Na on iridium surfaces: An investigation with nuclear spin polarized atoms

The chemisorption of Li and Na on clean and oxygen covered polycrystalline iridium was investigated using nuclear spin polarized alkali atoms. During adsorption on the surface the moments of the nuclei act as microscopic probes. The nuclear quadrupole moments of the alkali atoms are interacting with the electric field gradient. The interaction reflects the charge distribution around the nucleus. The nuclear magnetic moments are interacting with magnetic fields generated by the magnetic moments of electrons.