Structure investigations of Xe-adsorbate layers by spin-polarized low-energy electron diffraction II. (√3 × √3) R30°-Xe/Pd (111) and the ‘dilute’ phase of Xe/Pd(111)

Abstract

The adsorbate systems (√3 × √3) R30°-Xe/Pd(111) and the ‘dilute’ phase of Xe/Pd (111) were investigated with spin-polarized low-energy electron diffraction (SPLEED) . Spin-polarized electrons from a GaAs source were scattered and the spin-dependent intensities were measured. Comparative calculations were carried out by means of a relativistic LEED program. The structure determination of (√3 × √3)R30°-Xe/Pd(111) yields a layer distance of 3.5 ± 0.1 Å, the Xe atoms being adsorbed in hollow sites. In the ‘dilute’ phase of Xe/Pd(111) the adsorbed Xe atoms occupy on-top sites with a Xe-Pd distance of 4.0 ± 0.1 Å without two-dimensional periodicity.