The orientation of formic acid (HCOOH) on ZnO(000 (1) over bar)-O and the e
ffect of co-adsorbed Cu have been studied using polarisation dependent C K-
edge near edge X-ray absorption fine structure. Formate created by exposure
of the substrate to 20 L of HCOOH at 110 K and heating to 340 K is tilted
by 55 +/- 5 degrees with respect to the surface normal. Pre-absorbing Cu to
create 2D islands covering about half the substrate results in an apparent
tilt angle of 32 +/- 5 degrees with respect to the surface normal. Since t
his is dose to the magic angle, the apparent tilt could arise from a random
orientation of the molecule, The origin of the apparent tilt is likely to
be buckling of the Cu(110)-like islands. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All
rights reserved.