Oxygen adsorption and oxide formation on Ni3Al (111)

Abstract

The interaction of oxygen with the ordered Ni3Al (111) surface has been investigated in the temperature range from 300 to 1000 K using high-resolution electron-energy-loss spectroscopy (HREELS) and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). The “2×2” LEED pattern of the clean Ni3Al (111) surface indicates a bulklike termination. After oxygen adsorption at 300 K the LEED pattern is diffuse suggesting the formation of an amorphous overlayer. The HREELS spectra show evidence for oxygen interaction with both aluminum and nickel atoms. At 600 K adsorption temperature the fcc surface order is restored, however, the observed (1×1) LEED pattern indicates the loss of chemical order. Again HREELS spectra suggest interaction of oxygen with both aluminum and nickel. For an adsorption temperature of 800 K LEED shows an unrotated oxygen induced superstructure with a lattice spacing of 2.93 Å in addition to the (1×1) substrate spots. The HREELS spectra exhibit an intense loss at 81.9 meV, which is also known from oxygen in threefold hollow sites on Al (111). Since such sites are not available on the Ni3Al (111) surface, we conclude the buildup of an oxygen covered aluminum overlayer. Finally, during oxygen exposure at 1000 K we observe the growth of a γ′-Al2O3 structure on the reordered Ni3Al (111) substrate surface. This structure has been identified by means of the characteristic vibrational losses in HREELS at 54.6, 80.3, and 112.8 meV together with the emergence of overlayer spots in LEED exhibiting the lattice spacing of γ′-Al2O3 (3.02 Å). For oxygen exposures at 800 and 1000 K an island growth of the overlayer has been found.