Alkali core level binding energy shifts from buried interfaces between alkali films and metallic substrates with different surface index

Abstract

Core level binding energy shifts from approximately three layers of different alkali metals deposited on Pd(111), Pd(100), Rh (111), and Rh (110) are presented in order to demonstrate how the packing of the substrate surface affects the layer-resolved alkali core level binding energy shifts. It is found that a more open surface induces a larger alkali core level binding energy shift. It is shown that this behaviour can be explained as a consequence of the higher coordination of the alkali metal atom to the substrate on a more open surface than on a more closed packed surface.