Electronic properties of Sn/Pd intermetallic compounds on Pd(1 1 0)

Abstract

We have studied the Sn/Pd(1 1 0) adsorption system by synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). For room temperature evaporation, two surface reconstructions were observed: c(2 × 2) and (3 × 1), corresponding to about 0.5 ML and 0.75 ML of Sn adlayer coverage. The Pd 3d and Sn 4d core levels as well as valence band spectra indicate a strong chemical interaction between Sn and Pd, and the formation of an intermetallic interface. Structural models are proposed for both of these phases based on the photoemission and CO adsorption results. We show that at coverage higher than 0.7 ML, tin is alloyed with the Pd crystal forming a subsurface layer of Pd–Sn intermetallic compound of stoichiometry which varies with tin coverage. CO adsorption occurs only at low temperature (120 K) and depends on the Sn coverage and reconstruction of the Pd(1 1 0) surface. We estimate the CO adsorption energy for the c(2 × 2)- and (3 × 1)-Sn/Pd(1 1 0) surfaces to be reduced by 40% compared to the clean palladium (1 1 0) surface.