Work function investigations of alkali-coadsorbate systems

Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

12-1-1993

Abstract

The authors have measured the work function changes induced by the coadsorption of oxygen or carbon monoxide with sodium as a function of alkali precoverage for the systems O2/Na/Cu(111), O2/Na/Ni(111), O2/Na/Cu(110), and CO/Na/Ni(111). In agreement with results for many other related systems, they observe anomalous work function decreases for initial doses of both O2 and CO for high alkali precoverages. Their results are inconsistent with the standard explanations. They propose a new model in which the work function changes can be accounted for by a competition between two elements; a work function increase due to the coadsorbate and a decrease due to coadsorbate-induced undepolarization of the alkali overlayer.

Publication Title, e.g., Journal

Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter

Volume

5

Issue

27

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