Configuration change of NO on Cu(110) as a function of temperature

A Shiotari; T Mitsui; H Okuyama; S Hatta; T Aruga; T Koitaya; J Yoshinobu

doi:10.1063/1.4881262

Configuration change of NO on Cu(110) as a function of temperature

J Chem Phys. 2014 Jun 7;140(21):214706. doi: 10.1063/1.4881262.

Authors

A Shiotari¹, T Mitsui¹, H Okuyama¹, S Hatta¹, T Aruga¹, T Koitaya², J Yoshinobu²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
² The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan.

PMID: 24908034
DOI: 10.1063/1.4881262

Abstract

The bonding structure of nitric oxide (NO) on Cu(110) is studied by means of scanning tunneling microscopy, reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy, and electron energy loss spectroscopy at 6-160 K. At low temperatures, the NO molecule adsorbs at the short bridge site via the N end in an upright configuration. At around 50 K, this turns into a flat configuration, in which both the N and O atoms interact with the surface. The flat configuration is characterized by the low-frequency N-O stretching mode at 855 cm(-1). The flat-lying NO flips back and forth when the temperature increases to ~80 K, and eventually dissociates at ~160 K. We propose a potential energy diagram for the conversion of NO on the surface.