HYDROGEN-INDUCED RECONSTRUCTION OF TRANSITION-METAL SURFACES

This study compares the results of a number of recent papers on hydrogen adsorption on Rh(110), Rh(311) and Fe(211) as well as on Ni(111) and Fe(110) surfaces. It particularly deals with the structural aspect of these low energy electron diffraction (LEED) investigations and correlates them, if available with respective thermodesorption data. Upon dissociative adsorption by a non activated process hydrogen induces local displacements of the atoms about the adsorption sites. With increasing coverage these displacements order to form a sequence of weakly reconstructed phases and gradually lift the surface layer relaxation of the formerly clean surface. Along close packed rows of metal surface atoms hydrogen atoms tend to occupy threefold coordinated adsorption sites which, in turn, arrange in single or double chains. The coverage dependent periodicity of these adlayer structure elements together with the respective shift buckling of the substrate surface generates the observed super-structures. Since not only open but also close packed surfaces show this weak (and sometimes strong) reconstruction upon hydrogen adsorption it should be generally considered in all adsorption systems.