Low-energy electron diffraction and density functional theory study of potassium adsorbed on Pb(100)

Alkali metal adsorption systems provide important models for chemisorption. Low-energy electron diffraction experiments and density functional theory calculations were carried out for the adsorption of potassium on Pb(1 0 0). The stable structure for all submonolayer coverages was found to be the commensurate c(2 x 2) structure, with potassium atoms located in substitutional sites in the top substrate layer. This structure is temperature activated and occurs for adsorption or annealing of the film above 200 K. This finding is consistent with an earlier theory that proposed that for substrates with low energies of vacancy formation, substitutional structures can be the most stable. The structural and vibrational parameters deduced from the experiment are in agreement with the calculated values, and these values fit well into and add to the database of alkali metal adsorption properties.