The adsorption of N2O on clean, oxygen, deuterium and carbon monoxide
modified Ru(001) surfaces was investigated. On the clean surface, thre
e adsorption states have been observed, desorbing at 160-165, 145 and
116-123 K, respectively. On the oxygen modified surface, the presence
of oxygen shifts the N2O desorption temperature from 129 K (on a clean
surface) to a higher temperature of 173 K (theta(0) =0.12). The enhan
ced adsorption of N2O on partially O-covered Ru(001) was also observed
. However, on D- and CO-precovered surfaces, the N2O adsorption is des
tabilized. These results can be accounted for by considering the ''thr
ough-metal'' and the lateral interactions between coadsorbates.