Abstract
We have investigated ordered defect formation on reduced CeO 2(111) surfaces by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). We found that initially the surface shows a (1×1) termination which is similar to the bulk structure. Upon annealing to 950–1030°C under oxygen-deficient conditions, oxygen vacancies are created. These oxygen vacancies first appear as triangular defects and form line defects after annealing at higher temperatures by a zipping mechanism. Extremely oxygen-depleted surfaces form a hexagonal pattern visible as dark spots separated by about 1.6 nm in the STM. The symmetry of these features and their distance is very similar to the triangular oxygen vacancies observed at an earlier stage in the annealing process. These vacancies can be created at different stages during annealing. Eventually they cover the surface rather homogeneously and later act as preferred sites for erosion of the surface, causing dark spots in the STM image.
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