Steps or Terraces? Dynamics of Aromatic Hydrocarbons Adsorbed at Vicinal Metal Surfaces

Physical Review Letters
Javier Camarillo-CisnerosAlexandre Tkatchenko

Abstract

The study of how molecules adsorb, diffuse, interact, and desorb from imperfect surfaces is essential for a complete understanding of elementary surface processes under relevant pressure and temperature conditions. Here we use first-principles calculations to study the adsorption of benzene and naphthalene on a vicinal Cu(443) surface with the aim to gain insight into the behavior of aromatic hydrocarbons on realistic surfaces at a finite temperature. Upon strong adsorption at step edges at a low temperature, the molecules then migrate from the step to the (111) terraces, where they can freely diffuse parallel to the step edge. This migration happens at temperatures well below the onset of desorption, suggesting a more complex dynamical picture than previously proposed from temperature-programed desorption studies. The increase of the adsorption strength observed in experiments for Cu(443) when compared to Cu(111) is explained by a stronger long-range van der Waals attraction between the hydrocarbons and the step edges of the Cu(443) surface. Our calculations highlight the need for time-resolved experimental studies to fully understand the dynamics of molecular layers on surfaces.

References

Oct 28, 1996·Physical Review Letters·J P PerdewM Ernzerhof
Nov 13, 2004·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Joshua D HorvathAndrew J Gellman
Dec 3, 2010·Nature Chemistry·Ludwig Bartels
Jan 12, 2011·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Jens K NørskovThomas Bligaard
Jan 14, 2011·Chemical Society Reviews·Clément SanchezLionel Nicole
Jan 20, 2010·Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter : an Institute of Physics Journal·Jiří KlimešAngelos Michaelides
Oct 5, 2012·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Charles T Campbell, Jason R V Sellers
Feb 28, 2013·Chemical Reviews·Charles T Campbell, Jason R V Sellers
Sep 10, 2013·Physical Review Letters·Katrin Forster-TonigoldAxel Groß
Nov 6, 2013·Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP·Renqin ZhangHans-Peter Steinrück
Feb 4, 2014·Physical Review Letters·Thomas K HaxtonStephen Whitelam
Jun 11, 2014·Accounts of Chemical Research·Wei LiuMatthias Scheffler
Jun 17, 2014·Accounts of Chemical Research·Laura ZoppiKim K Baldridge
Dec 2, 2014·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Kai GolibrzuchChristof Bartels

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Mar 2, 2016·The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters·Wei LiuAlexandre Tkatchenko
Oct 25, 2016·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Stavros KarakalosCynthia M Friend
Mar 28, 2017·Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter : an Institute of Physics Journal·Yingda JiangAlexandre Tkatchenko
Apr 23, 2016·Physical Review Letters·Reinhard J MaurerAlexandre Tkatchenko
Aug 31, 2018·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Jason A BennettEva Zurek

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Cell Migration

Cell migration is involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes such as embryonic development, cancer metastasis, blood vessel formation and remoulding, tissue regeneration, immune surveillance and inflammation. Here is the latest research.