Self-limited growth of a thin oxide layer on Rh(111).
The oxidation of the Rh(111) surface at oxygen pressures from 10(-10) mbar to 0.5 bar and temperatures between 300 and 900 K has been studied on the atomic scale using a multimethod approach of experimental and theoretical techniques. Oxidation starts at the steps, resulting in a trilayer O-Rh-O surface oxide which, although not thermodynamically stable, prevents further oxidation at intermediate pressures. A thick corundum like Rh2O3 bulk oxide is formed only at significantly higher pressures and temperatures.
Gustafson
J
J
Department of Synchrotron Radiation Research, Lund University, Box 118, S-221 00, Sweden. johan.gustafson@sljus.lu.se
Mikkelsen
A
A
Borg
M
M
Lundgren
E
E
Köhler
L
L
Kresse
G
G
Schmid
M
M
Varga
P
P
Yuhara
J
J
Torrelles
X
X
Quirós
C
C
Andersen
J N
JN