The characterization of some vanadium (100) surface using LEED and AES

Abstract

Low energy electron diffraction (LEED) supplemented by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) was used to investigate the properties of the (100) crystallographic face of vanadium metal. A (1×1) surface structure is characteristics of the clean metal surface. Sulfur segregates to the surface upon heating, forming first a C(2×2) structure and then a (√2×2√5) R27° structure. A kinematical analysis of the diffracted beam intensity vs voltage curves proved appropriate for the V(100)−(1×1) structure and yields a value of −9.9 V for the inner potential and a value of 3.02 Å for the surface lattice constant. Room temperature gas adsorption studies on the V(100)−(1×1) surface indicate that oxygen diffuses into the lattice and produces a disordered surface, while carbon monoxide either does not absorb or is desorbed under the influence of the electron beam.