Atomic and electronic structures of Gd submonolayers adsorbed on Mo(1 1 2) surface

Abstract

Using LEED, AES and LEELS methods atomic and electronic structures of Gd submonolayers adsorbed on the Mo(112) plane were investigated. Any ordered structures of annealed (up to 1300K) Gd adlayers were not observed on Mo(112) in low coverage range θ⩽0.14, in contrast to W(112), where for the same coverage range Gd produces linear chains of adatoms across the rows of substrate atoms (structure p(1×7)). LEELS measurements indicate considerable changes of electronic structure of the Mo(112) surface annealed at 1300K in the region of elastic peak for low coverages. This feature appeared to be very sensitive to the small amount of Gd adsorption and was identified as the influence on the surface electron states (SES) of the Mo(112) plane. The indirect interaction mechanism via SES band between atoms adsorbed on the furrow W and Mo surfaces at low coverages is discussed.