THE ADSORPTION AND DESORPTION OF FERROCENE ON AG(100)

The molecular adsorption and desorption of ferrocene, Fe(C5H5)(2), on Ag(100) have been studied by both photoemission and thermal desorption . Photoemission results indicate that the initially adsorbed surface s pecies closely resemble that of molecular ferrocene. The molecule is a dsorbed with the cyclopentadienyl (C5H5) ring ligands parallel to the surface, as determined by electron energy-loss spectroscopy. The shift in photoemission binding energies relative to the gas phase is largel y independent of the molecular orbital. The ultraviolet light does lea d to partial fragmentation of the ferrocene, but fragmentation occurs only in the presence of incident radiation. The energetics of molecula r desorption are influenced by lateral interactions within the molecul arly adsorbed film.