INTER-ATOMIC AUGER TRANSITION SPECTROSCOPY AS A PROBE FOR THE STUDY OF O2 AND CO ADSORPTION ON AL

Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) is applied as a probe to study adsorption mechanisms of oxygen and carbon monoxide on clean aluminium. Low-energy AES spectra reflect chemical effects due to adsorbates in the form of chemical shifts of Al(LVV) resulting from oxygen or carbon monoxide adsorption and interatomic Auger transitions A1(L) O(L) O(L), A1(L) C(L) C(L) showing the formation of AlO, AlC bonds. From the analysis of exposure dependences of these signals, it is demonstrated that Auger electron spectroscopy is a powerful tool for the study of adsorption phenomena. © 1979.