CHARACTERIZATION OF SURFACE DEFECTS THROUGH THE MODIFICATION OF THE INFRARED PROFILE OF ADMOLECULES: APPLICATION TO CO MOLECULES ADSORBED ON (100) MgO AND NaCl SURFACES

Abstract

Real surfaces display defects originating either from thermodynamic principles or from local instabilities. In order to help and characterize these surfaces and their defects, infrared spectroscopy of physisorbed test molecules can be used. As an example, we study the behavior of the infrared response of CO molecules randomly deposited on ionic surfaces of MgO and NaCl with the concentration of dipolar defects randomly distributed on these surfaces. The vibrational peak is shifted and asymmetrically broadened when the defect concentration increases as a result of surface inhomogeneity, in semi-quantitative agreement with experimental data.