Adsorption of benzene on the five-fold surface of the i-Al₇₀Pd₂₁Mn₉ quasicrystal

Abstract

The adsorption behaviour of benzene (C₆H₆) on the five-fold surface of the icosahedral Al₇₀Pd₂₁Mn₉ quasicrystal has been investigated. Reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) data taken at a temperature of 92 K indicate molecular adsorption. The adsorption geometry of the molecules is found to change from parallel to the surface to oblique geometries as the dose is increased from monolayer to multilayer coverages. Scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) images show that the molecules adsorb in a disordered fashion. The adsorbate layer is found to completely desorb at 153 K leaving the substrate unchanged.

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (grant number GR/S19080/01) and the European Union Marie Curie Development Fund (award HPMD-CT-2001-00093) for funding this work.

Notes

¶Present address: Universitat Hamburg, Institut fiir Experimentalphysik, Luruper Chaussee 149, D-22761 Hamburg, Germany.

‖Present address: LSG2M, CNRS UMR 7584, Ecole des Mines, Parc de Saurupt, 54042 Nancy Cedex, France.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

J. T. Hoeft¶

¶Present address: Universitat Hamburg, Institut fiir Experimentalphysik, Luruper Chaussee 149, D-22761 Hamburg, Germany.

J. Ledieu‖

‖Present address: LSG2M, CNRS UMR 7584, Ecole des Mines, Parc de Saurupt, 54042 Nancy Cedex, France.