Deposition of thin layer (monoatomic layer) of barium on gold single crystal surfaces and studies of its oxidation employing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Due to the high reactivity of barium with oxygen, some oxygen diffuse into the bulk to form bulk oxide and it is very difficult to differentiate the oxide over layer and the bulk oxide. To study the oxidation of barium surface layer, a thin layer (monolayer) of barium is developed over gold single crystal surface. Gold is selected as support because it is one of the least reactive metal in transition metal group and have very low probability of reaction with oxygen at room temperature (300K). Nitrous oxide (N/sub 2/O) was used as oxidant. Thin layer of barium was deposited on Au(100) surface. The barium coverage on gold surface was calculated that varied from 0.4 to 1.4 monolayer (ML). Photoelectron spectra for O(ls), N(ls), Ba (3d), and Au (4f) have been recorded on X-ray photoelectron spectrometer at different binding energy region specific for each element. The decomposition of nitrous oxide has been observed in all cases. It has found that nitrogen is evolved in the gaseous state and oxygen is adsorbed/chemisorbed on barium over layer. (author)