Extended Appearance-Potential Fine-Structure Analysis: Oxygen on Al(100)

Abstract

To measure O-Al separation at Al(100) surfaces disordered (low-energy electron-diffraction beams extinguished) by reaction with oxygen, the extended appearance-potential fine structure was analyzed above the threshold for electron-bombardment excitation of the O 1s core. Calculation shows that the outgoing electron has angular momentum l=0, allowing simple Fourier inversion of the fine structure. The separation, 1.9+-0.05 A, suggests that oxygen lies under the top layer, a result undetectable in extended-x-ray-absorption fine-structure measurements on thicker films.