The effect of chalcogens (O, S) on coarsening of nanoislands on metal surfaces

Mingmin Shen; Da Jiang Liu; C. J. Jenks; J. W. Evans; P. A. Thiel

doi:10.1016/j.susc.2008.11.045

The effect of chalcogens (O, S) on coarsening of nanoislands on metal surfaces

Mingmin Shen, Da Jiang Liu, C. J. Jenks, J. W. Evans, P. A. Thiel

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this article, we review some of our recent work concerning sulfur adsorption on Ag(1 1 1), and the effect of sulfur on coarsening of nanoscale Ag islands. We find that sulfur accelerates coarsening, but that a finite threshold coverage exists, below which the sulfur only decorates step edges and does not affect coarsening kinetics. Furthermore, below room temperature, and at coverages above the threshold, an ordered metal-sulfur adlayer structure develops. This structure contains long rows of Ag₃S₃ clusters as its dominant motif, and its development coincides with inhibition of coarsening. Taken in the context of published literature, these observations suggest that acceleration of coarsening of metal nanofeatures by adsorbed chalcogens is a general effect, and that metal-chalcogen clusters are the agents of metal mass transport. Possible models are discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1486-1491
Number of pages	6
Journal	Surface Science
Volume	603
Issue number	10-12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susc.2008.11.045
State	Published - Jun 1 2009
Externally published	Yes

Funding

This work was supported primarily by NSF Grants CHE-0414378 and CHE-0809472. DJL was supported by the Division of Chemical Sciences, Basic Energy Sciences, US Department of Energy (USDOE). The work was performed at the Ames Laboratory which is operated for the USDOE by Iowa State University under Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11358.

Keywords

Chemisorption
Scanning tunneling microscopy
Silver
Sulphides
Surface diffusion

Access to Document

10.1016/j.susc.2008.11.045

Cite this

@article{638326e527ed4dd58b98928ae3b5a3ca,

title = "The effect of chalcogens (O, S) on coarsening of nanoislands on metal surfaces",

abstract = "In this article, we review some of our recent work concerning sulfur adsorption on Ag(1 1 1), and the effect of sulfur on coarsening of nanoscale Ag islands. We find that sulfur accelerates coarsening, but that a finite threshold coverage exists, below which the sulfur only decorates step edges and does not affect coarsening kinetics. Furthermore, below room temperature, and at coverages above the threshold, an ordered metal-sulfur adlayer structure develops. This structure contains long rows of Ag3S3 clusters as its dominant motif, and its development coincides with inhibition of coarsening. Taken in the context of published literature, these observations suggest that acceleration of coarsening of metal nanofeatures by adsorbed chalcogens is a general effect, and that metal-chalcogen clusters are the agents of metal mass transport. Possible models are discussed.",

keywords = "Chemisorption, Scanning tunneling microscopy, Silver, Sulphides, Surface diffusion",

author = "Mingmin Shen and Liu, {Da Jiang} and Jenks, {C. J.} and Evans, {J. W.} and Thiel, {P. A.}",

year = "2009",

month = jun,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.susc.2008.11.045",

language = "English",

volume = "603",

pages = "1486--1491",

journal = "Surface Science",

issn = "0039-6028",

publisher = "Elsevier",

number = "10-12",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The effect of chalcogens (O, S) on coarsening of nanoislands on metal surfaces

AU - Shen, Mingmin

AU - Liu, Da Jiang

AU - Jenks, C. J.

AU - Evans, J. W.

AU - Thiel, P. A.

PY - 2009/6/1

Y1 - 2009/6/1

N2 - In this article, we review some of our recent work concerning sulfur adsorption on Ag(1 1 1), and the effect of sulfur on coarsening of nanoscale Ag islands. We find that sulfur accelerates coarsening, but that a finite threshold coverage exists, below which the sulfur only decorates step edges and does not affect coarsening kinetics. Furthermore, below room temperature, and at coverages above the threshold, an ordered metal-sulfur adlayer structure develops. This structure contains long rows of Ag3S3 clusters as its dominant motif, and its development coincides with inhibition of coarsening. Taken in the context of published literature, these observations suggest that acceleration of coarsening of metal nanofeatures by adsorbed chalcogens is a general effect, and that metal-chalcogen clusters are the agents of metal mass transport. Possible models are discussed.

AB - In this article, we review some of our recent work concerning sulfur adsorption on Ag(1 1 1), and the effect of sulfur on coarsening of nanoscale Ag islands. We find that sulfur accelerates coarsening, but that a finite threshold coverage exists, below which the sulfur only decorates step edges and does not affect coarsening kinetics. Furthermore, below room temperature, and at coverages above the threshold, an ordered metal-sulfur adlayer structure develops. This structure contains long rows of Ag3S3 clusters as its dominant motif, and its development coincides with inhibition of coarsening. Taken in the context of published literature, these observations suggest that acceleration of coarsening of metal nanofeatures by adsorbed chalcogens is a general effect, and that metal-chalcogen clusters are the agents of metal mass transport. Possible models are discussed.

KW - Chemisorption

KW - Scanning tunneling microscopy

KW - Silver

KW - Sulphides

KW - Surface diffusion

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=65149092250&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.susc.2008.11.045

DO - 10.1016/j.susc.2008.11.045

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:65149092250

SN - 0039-6028

VL - 603

SP - 1486

EP - 1491

JO - Surface Science

JF - Surface Science

IS - 10-12

ER -

The effect of chalcogens (O, S) on coarsening of nanoislands on metal surfaces

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this