Y. Zhang et Aj. Slavin, PREPARATION, STRUCTURE, AND COMPOSITION OF ORDERED TIN-OXIDE OVERLAYERS ON THE AU(111) SURFACE, Physical review. B, Condensed matter, 49(3), 1994, pp. 2005-2011
Previous work has described the growth mode of tin deposits on the Au(
111) surface and the subsequent oxidation of the tin at room temperatu
re. Because the gold does not oxidize under the conditions of this exp
eriment, one can monitor the growth of the oxide layer in an increment
al fashion. This paper extends the study to oxidation at higher temper
atures. From 500 to 800 K at about 10(-6) Torr of oxygen, at least hal
f the tin in-diffuses, with the rest forming an ordered SnO2 layer on
the surface. This ordered oxide has no counterpart for bulk tin, which
melts at 505 K. Heating above 800 K causes diffusion of the remaining
tin and oxygen into the gold substrate. The formation of the oxide la
yer has been studied by Auger spectroscopy, electron-energy-loss spect
roscopy, work-function measurements, and low-energy-electron diffracti
on.