Abstract
We have used high resolution vibrational spectroscopy (FTIR) and carbon monoxide as a molecular probe to investigate the structural and electronic properties of well annealed copper layers adsorbed on a Ru(001) substrate. Adsorption of CO on annealed Cu–Ru (001) surfaces (θCuCu−1), a (1×1) LEED pattern and characteristic CO‐TDMS features. In contrast to the modification of Cu by Ru, there is little indication of a copper‐induced change in the Ru–CO backdonation. The observed decrease in desorption temperature of CO–Ru TDMS features rather is related to a suppression of formation of an ordered √3‐CO structure. The mobility of CO from Cu to Ru sites is found to be high and diffusion of CO occurs between 120 and 175 K. We finally observe vibrational coupling between neighboring CO–Cu and CO–Ru which leads to significant intensity transfer and frequency shifts for high θCu, i.e., small size of open Ru patches.