Band Bending in Mg-Colored and O2‑Activated Ultrathin MgO(001) Films

Ultrathin MgO films grown on Ag(001) have been investigated using X-ray and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopies for oxide films successively exposed to Mg and O2 flux. Studying work functions and layer-resolved Auger shifts allows us to keep track of band profiles from the oxide surface to the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of physical chemistry. C 2017-03, Vol.121 (8), p.4363-4367
Main Authors: Jaouen, T, Hildebrand, B, Aebi, P, Delhaye, G, Tricot, S, Lépine, B, Jézéquel, G, Schieffer, P
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Ultrathin MgO films grown on Ag(001) have been investigated using X-ray and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopies for oxide films successively exposed to Mg and O2 flux. Studying work functions and layer-resolved Auger shifts allows us to keep track of band profiles from the oxide surface to the interface and reveal the charge-transfer mechanisms underlying the controlled creation of Mg-induced surface color centers and the catalytic enhancement of O2 activation. Our results demonstrate that one can intimately probe the catalytic properties of metal-supported ultrathin oxide films by studying the electronic band alignment at interfaces.
ISSN:1932-7447
1932-7455
DOI:10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b12541