Surface structures from low energy electron diffraction: Atoms, small molecules and an ordered ice film on metal surfaces

We investigated the surface bonding of various adsorbates (0, S, C{sub 2}H{sub 3} and NO) along with the resulting relaxation of the Pt(111) surface using low energy electron diffiraction (LEED). LEED experiments have been performed on these ordered overlayers along with theoretical structural analysis using automated tensor LEED (ATLEED). The resulting surface structures of these ordered overlayers exhibit similar adsorbate-induced relaxations. In all cases the adsorbate occupies the fcc hollow site and induces an approximately 0.1 A buckling of the metal surface. The three metal atoms directly bonded to the adsorbate are ``pulled`` out of the surface and the metal atom that is not bound to the adsorbate is `pushed`` inward. In order to understand the reliability of such details, we have carried out a comprehensive study of various non-structural parameters used in a LEED computation. We also studied the adsorption of water on the Pt(lll) surface. We ordered an ultra thin ice film on this surface. The film`s surface is found to be the (0001) face of hexagonal ice. This surface is apparently terminated by a full-bilayer, in which the uppermost water molecules have large vibrational amplitudes even at temperatures as low as 90 K. We examined two other metal surfaces besides Pt(111): Ni(111) and Fe(lll). On Ni(111), we have studied the surface under a high coverage of NO. On both Ni(111) and Pt(111) NO molecules occupy the hollow sites and the N-0 bond distances are practically identical. The challenging sample preparation of an Fe(111) surface has been investigated and a successful procedure has been obtained. The small interlayer spacing found on Fe(111) required special treatment in the LEED calculations. A new ATLEED program has been developed to handle this surface