Low Energy Electron Diffraction Studies of Organic Monolayers on Metal Surfaces

Abstract

AbstractThe structures of monolayers of organic molecules adsorbed at metal single crystal surfaces are conveniently studied using Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED). Analysis of LEED intensity data determined the structures formed on adsorption of acetylene on Pt(1 1 1). Structures within monolayers can be reliably inferred from LEED data without extensive analysis of the diffracted beam intensities if supplementary information, i.e. spectroscopic data, is available. Structures obtained in this way are discussed and several general features of the adsorption of organic molecules are presented. Weakly adsorbed molecules form close‐packed monolayers. Strongly adsorbed molecules adsorb in specific sites on the metal surface. The nature of the adsorption can be determined from observation of the monolayer registry with the metal lattice. The structure and bonding of organic molecules at metal surfaces depends strongly on temperature.