Measurement of the atomic site specific binding energy of surface atoms of metals and alloys

Abstract

The binding energies of surface atoms in kink sites of several metals, Fe, Co, Ni, Rh and Ft, and an alloy, Pt 3Co, have been measured from a kinetic energy analysis of low temperature field evaporated ions. Data are collected from atomically well defined surfaces. The binding energies of metal atoms measured are found to agree with the cohesive energies of these metals to −0.11 ± 0.16 eV. The binding energy of Co atoms in Pt 3Co, either in ordered or in disordered state, is 0.65 ± 0.17 eV higher than that in Co metal whereas that of Pt in the alloy is about 0.1 eV lower than in Pt metal.