The interaction of hydrogen with a cobalt(101̄0) surface

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Abstract
The adsorption of hydrogen on a cobalt(101̄0) surface was investigated in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) between 85 and 500 K using Video‐LEED, temperature‐programmed thermal desorption (TPD), work function (ΔΦ) measurements, and high‐resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). Between 90 and 200 K, hydrogen adsorbs dissociatively with high sticking coefficient (s0≥0.8) via precursor kinetics and forms, with increasing exposure, a c(2×4), a p2mg (2×1) and a (1×2) LEED structure (hydrogen coverages ΘH=0.5, 1.0, and 1.5, respectively). While the first two structures represent true ordered hydrogen phases there is strong evidence that the (1×2) phase is reconstructed, likely in a paired‐row configuration. The formation of the (1×2) phase is slightly thermally activated; its decomposition produces a sharp thermal desorption maximum (α state) appearing on the low‐energy side of a β‐TPD signal which reflects the hydrogen desorbing from the unreconstructed surface. The activation energies for desorption from the α and β states are 62 and 80 kJ/mol, respectively. Chemisorption in the β state [(2×1) phase up to ΘH=1.0] is associated with a ΔΦ of +207 meV, while the fully developed (1×2) reconstructed phase (α state) causes a ΔΦ of approximately −122 meV resulting in an overall work function change of +85 meV at saturation. From HREELS, we determine the H adsorption site in all superstructures to be threefold with a local CS symmetry. Our results are discussed and compared with previous findings for similar metal–hydrogen interaction systems.