N. Kimizuka et K. Itaya, IN-SITU SCANNING-TUNNELING-MICROSCOPY OF UNDERPOTENTIAL DEPOSITION - SILVER ADLAYERS ON PT(111) IN SULFURIC-ACID-SOLUTIONS .4., Faraday discussions, (94), 1992, pp. 117-126
The underpotential deposition (UPD) of Ag on Pt(111) surfaces has been
investigated in aqueous sulfuric acid solutions. Two sets of well def
ined UPD peaks in the cyclic voltammogram have been observed on a well
ordered Pt(111) surface. The total charge consumed for the first and
second UPD processes has been found to be nearly equal to 240 +/- 20 m
uC cm-2, suggesting that the first and second adlayers of Ag are close
-packed monolayers. The atomic structures of the first, second and bul
k deposited Ag adlayers have been resolved in solutions using an elect
rochemical scanning tunnelling microscope. The observed interatomic di
stances were all nearly the same, within experimental error, indicatin
g that the Ag layers are grown rotationally commensurate with respect
to the underlying lattice. The first and second layers have been found
to grow layer-by-layer in the UPD on Pt in sulfuric acid solutions. I
t has been demonstrated that the bulk deposition of Ag also occurs epi
taxially.