Silane adsorption on Pd(100) - a low-temperature RAIRS study

Silane adsorption and reaction on Pd(100) have been investigated between 23 -80 K by reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS). Exposure to a silane/argon mixture at a substrate temperature of 23 K results in physiso rbed islands of silane with argon matrix isolated silane in subsequent laye rs. At a substrate temperature of 70 K the silane forms a uniform physisorb ed layer on the surface which undergoes dissociative chemisorption at simil ar to 78 K. On Pd(100) a surface stabilised SIH moiety is formed; direct ad sorption at 80 K leads to the formation of islands of SiH with overlayers o f physisorbed molecular silane. The SiH species is stable to 200 K at which point complete dissociation occurs. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rig hts reserved.