Direct in-situ insights into the asymmetric surface reconstruction of rutile TiO2 (110)

The reconstruction of rutile TiO2 (110) holds significant importance as it profoundly influences the surface chemistry and catalytic properties of this widely used material in various applications, from photocatalysis to solar energy conversion. Here, we directly observe the asymmetric surface reconstruction of rutile TiO2 (110)-(1×2) with atomic-resolution using in situ spherical aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. Density functional theory calculations were employed to complement the experimental observations. Our findings highlight the pivotal role played by repulsive electrostatic interaction among the small polarons -formed by excess electrons following the removal of neutral oxygen atoms- and the subsequent surface relaxations induced by these polarons. The emergence and disappearance of these asymmetric structures can be controlled by adjusting the oxygen partial pressure. This research provides a deeper understanding, prediction, and manipulation of the surface reconstructions of rutile TiO2 (110), holding implications for a diverse range of applications and technological advancements involving rutile-based materials.

Positron re-emission, reflection, and diffraction from W(100) surface at very low energies

The energy distributions of scattered and re-emitted low-energy positrons from a W(100) surface were measured as a function of incident positron energy from 0 to 25 eV. Given that tungsten has a negative work function of about -3 eV for positrons, one can envisage three scenarios of very low-energy positron scattering from such a surface. First, a positron approaching the sample surface with energy say 1 eV above the vacuum level will see a potential barrier of about 2 eV height and will be reflected back to the vacuum. Second, when the energy of incident positrons increases up to the top of the surface potential barrier (positron work function), they start entering the solid and, therefore, the reflectivity of positrons from the surface reduces. Positrons entering the solid are thermalised within few picoseconds and have a chance to escape back to the vacuum with kinetic energy about 3 eV above the vacuum level undergoing so-calledre-emission. Third, coherent scattering of low-energy positrons may occur on the crystal surface, i.e. positron diffraction. All the three scenarios of low-energy positrons scattering are studied here experimentally. Measured spectra are very sensitive to the surface conditions of the sample: they change dramatically after surface oxidation or thin film deposition.

Total-reflection high-energy positron diffractometer at NEPOMUC - Instrumentation, simulation, and first measurements

We report the instrumentation of a new positron diffractometer that is connected to the high-intensity positron beam at the neutron induced positron source Munich. Crucial elements for the adaption of the positron beam are presented, which include the magnetic field termination, the optional transmission-type remoderator for brightness enhancement, and the electrostatic system for acceleration and beam optics. The positron trajectories of the remoderated and the twofold remoderated beam have been simulated to optimize the system, i.e., to obtain a coherent beam of small diameter. Within a first beamtime, we tuned the system and characterized the direct beam. For the twofold remoderated beam of 10 keV energy, we experimentally observe a beam diameter of d < 1.3 mm, which agrees well with the simulation.

Atomic-resolution imaging of rutile TiO2(110)-(1 × 2) reconstructed surface by non-contact atomic force microscopy

The structure of the rutile TiO₂(110)-(1 × 2) reconstructed surface is a phase induced by oxygen reduction. There is ongoing debate about the (1 × 2) reconstruction, because it cannot be clarified whether the (1 × 2) structure is formed over a wide area or only locally using macroscopic analysis methods such as diffraction. We used non-contact atomic force microscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, and low-energy electron diffraction at room temperature to characterize the surface. Ti₂O₃ rows appeared as bright spots in both NC-AFM and STM images observed in the same area. High-resolution NC-AFM images revealed that the rutile TiO₂(110)-(1 × 2) reconstructed surface is composed of two domains with different types of asymmetric rows.

Fabrication of ion bombardment induced rippled TiO2 surfaces to influence subsequent organic thin film growth

Control over organic thin film growth is a central issue in the development of organic electronics. The anisotropy and extended size of the molecular building blocks introduce a high degree of complexity within the formation of thin films. This complexity can be even increased for substrates with induced, sophisticated morphology and anisotropy. Thus, targeted structuring like ion beam mediated modification of substrates in order to create ripples, pyramids, or pit structures provides a further degree of freedom in manipulating the growth morphology of organic thin films. We provide a comprehensive review of recent work on para-hexaphenyl (C₃₆H₂₆, 6P) as a typical representative of the class of small, rod-like conjugated molecules and rutile TiO₂(1 1 0) as an example for a transparent oxide electrode to demonstrate the effect of ion beam induced nanostructuring on organic thin film growth. Starting from molecular growth on smooth, atomically flat TiO₂(1 1 0) (1  ×  1) surfaces, we investigate the influence of the ripple size on the resulting 6P thin films. The achieved 6P morphologies are either crystalline nano-needles composed of flat lying molecules or islands consisting of upright standing 6P, which are elongated in ripple direction. The islands' length-to-width ratio can be controlled by tuning the ripples' shape.

Structure of the SnO_{2}(110)-(4×1) Surface

Using surface x-ray diffraction (SXRD), quantitative low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, we have determined the structure of the (4×1) reconstruction formed by sputtering and annealing of the SnO_{2}(110) surface. We find that the reconstruction consists of an ordered arrangement of Sn_{3}O_{3} clusters bound atop the bulk-terminated SnO_{2}(110) surface. The model was found by application of a DFT-based evolutionary algorithm with surface compositions based on SXRD, and shows excellent agreement with LEED and with previously published scanning tunneling microscopy measurements. The model proposed previously consisting of in-plane oxygen vacancies is thus shown to be incorrect, and our result suggests instead that Sn(II) species in interstitial positions are the more relevant features of reduced SnO_{2}(110) surfaces.