Adsorption of Carbon Monoxide on Pd/SiO2/Si(111) Studied by Core-Level Photoemission

Abstract

X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been used to study the adsorption of carbon monoxide on Pd dispersed on oxidized Si(111) surface. A fraction of the deposited Pd diffusing at room temperature to the SiO2/Si interface increases with decreasing SiO2 thickness. For oxide layers thinner than ≈1 nm, almost all deposited Pd diffuses to SiO2/Si interface forming there Si silicide. Consequently, the amount of adsorbed CO is dependent on the thickness of the thermally grown SiO2 layer. Two different chemical states of adsorbed carbon atoms, the population of which depends on the amount of the Pd deposited, are observed in the C (1s) spectra of adsorbed CO. Adsorption activity of Pd clusters does not depend on whether n- or p-type Si is used. Comparison of the experimental Pd/CO concentration ratios with those calculated assuming several different modes of the Pd growth on SiO2/Si points to the pseudo-Stranski-Krastanow mode (flat clusters with incomplete condensation of the first layer) at 300 K. Changes in charge balance across the Pd/SiO2/Si interface caused by CO adsorption are discussed in terms of the surface photovoltage effect and work function variation.