The Study of Adsorption on Metal Oxides by High-Resolution Electron-Energy-Loss Spectroscopy

Book section

The application of high-resolution electron-energy-loss spectroscopy to the study of adsorbates on the surfaces of single-crystal metal oxides is reviewed. The technique provides a means of measuring vibrational spectra of adsorbates over a wide energy range although when dealing with non-metallic oxide substrates a strong background of intrinsic surface phonon excitations does interfere with the adsorbate loss spectra. In metallic oxides the conduction electrons screen the substrate losses and the technique proves to be more sensitive to the presence of adsorbates. The chemical information which can be extracted from energy loss spectra is illustrated by consideration of the adsorption of water on SrTiO 3,(100) and Na O, 7 WO 3,(100). © 1985 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.

Authors: Egdell, R

• Volume: 21
• Pages: 173-182
• Publication date: 1985-01-01
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-2991(08)64920-4