L-Methionine adsorption on Cu(110), binding and geometry of the amino acid as a function of coverage

Abstract

The adsorption of l-methionine on Cu(110) has been characterized by combining in situ Polarization Modulation Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Both the chemical state of the molecule, and its anchoring points were determined at various coverage values. Adsorbed methionine is anionic and first interacts with the copper surface via its sulfur and/or oxygen atoms, likely lying flat on the surface; at higher coverage, a stronger interaction of oxygen and nitrogen atoms with copper, evidenced by slight shifts of the XPS peaks, together with an angular dependence of the peak ratios, suggests that the molecule stands up on the surface, interacting with the surface via the N and O atoms but almost not anymore via its S atom. Last but not least, no multilayers were evidenced, and this was explained by the geometry of the molecules which leaves no groups accessible for intermolecular interactions.