Interaction of CO molecules with surface state electrons on Ag(111)

Like other close-packed noble metal surfaces, Ag(1 1 1) exhibits an occupied Shockley-type surface state that is believed to influence the adsorption of atoms and molecules. Using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy, we have directly probed this interaction by investigating the local CO distribution dependent on the Ag(1 1 1) surface state standing wave pattern forming in the neighborhood of strong scattering centers such as step edges or hexagonal holes. A quantitative analysis of the STM data reveals that the CO molecules are not arbitrarily distributed upon adsorption at 5 K; they adsorb preferentially near the minima of the standing wave pattern