Structure of the adlayer of p-xylene on Rh(111) in HF solution was investig
ated by the complementary use of in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM
) and ex situ low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). In situ STM images re
vealed that p-xylene molecules lie flat on the Rh(lll) surface, forming a h
ighly ordered adlayer with a c(2 root3 x 4)rect structure. High-resolution
imaging revealed not only the packing arrangement but also the internal str
ucture of each molecule. Two methyl functional groups at the para position
of benzene were clearly discerned. The adlayer structure obtained by LEED w
as consistent with that determined by in situ STM.