Infrared reflection absorption study of carbon monoxide adsorption on Cu(1 0 0)–c(2 × 2)–Pd surfaces formed by palladium vacuum-depositions at various temperatures

Abstract Using infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD), we investigated carbon monoxide (CO) adsorption and desorption behaviors on atomic checkerboard structures of Cu and Pd formed by Pd vacuum deposition at various temperatures of Cu(1 0 0). The 0.15-nm-thick Pd deposition onto a clean Cu(1 0 0) surface at room temperature (RT) showed a clear c (2 × 2) low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) pattern, i.e. Cu(1 0 0)– c (2 × 2)–Pd. The RT-CO exposure to the c (2 × 2) surfaces resulted in IRRAS absorption caused by CO adsorbed on the on-top sites of Pd. The LEED patterns of the Pd-deposited Cu(1 0 0) at higher substrate temperatures revealed less-contrasted c (2 × 2) patterns. The IRRAS intensities of the linearly bonded CO bands on 373-K-, 473-K-, and 673-K-deposited c (2 × 2) surfaces are, respectively, 25%, 22%, and 10% less intense than those on the RT-deposited surface, indicating that Pd coverages at the outermost c (2 × 2) surfaces decrease with increasing deposition temperature. In the initial stage of the 90-K-CO exposure to the RT surface, the band attributable to CO bonded to the Pd emerged at 2067 cm −1 and shifted to higher frequencies with increasing CO exposure. At saturation coverage, the band was located at 2093 cm −1 . In contrast, two distinct bands around 2090 cm −1 were apparent on the spectrum of the 473-K-deposited surface: the CO saturation spectrum was dominated by an apparent single absorption at 2090 cm −1 for the 673-K-deposited surface. The TPD spectra of the surfaces showed peaks at around 200 and 300 K, which were ascribable respectively to Cu–CO and Pd–CO. Taking into account the TPD and IRRAS results, we discuss the adsorption–desorption behaviors of CO on the ordered checkerboard structures.