New-Type of Long-Range Restructuring of Ordered Metal Surfaces Induced by LateralAdsorbate Interactions: Iodide on AU(110) Electrodes

摘要

A new form of long-range surface restructuring of Au(110) is reported,specifically for Au(110) in aqueous iodide electrolyte at high electrode potentials where an ordered iodide adlayer is present. In-situ scanning tunneling microscopy reveals the formation of periodic terrace strips paralleling the direction with widths, ca 25-40 A, that diminish as the surface potential is increased. The (1 x 1) substrate unit cell, however, remains unaffected. The restructuring is postulated to be due to dipole-dipole repulsive interactions destabilizing terrace sites distant from steps, and hence limiting the size of the substrate-adlayer domains.