High-stability cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope based on a closed-cycle cryostat.

We report on the design and operation of a cryogenic ultra-high vacuum (UHV) scanning tunneling microscope (STM) coupled to a closed-cycle cryostat (CCC). The STM is thermally linked to the CCC through helium exchange gas confined inside a volume enclosed by highly flexible rubber bellows. The STM is thus mechanically decoupled from the CCC, which results in a significant reduction of the mechanical noise transferred from the CCC to the STM.

Probing the properties of metal-oxide interfaces: silica films on Mo and Ru supports.

The influence of metal-oxide interactions on the workfunction and band alignment in thin oxide films is investigated for silica mono- and bilayers grown on Mo(112) and Ru(0001) supports. By analyzing the position of field-emission resonances and the Kelvin-probe signal deduced from conductance and force spectroscopy, we have identified a substantial lowering of the workfunction in the monolayer films, with the oxide bands shifting accordingly. We explain this observation with a stronger coupling and a shorter binding length of the silica monolayer to the metal substrate, which removes the effect of electron spill-out, produces a positive interface dipole and reduces the workfunction of the system.

Modifying the adsorption characteristic of inert silica films by inserting anchoring sites.

The adsorption properties of thin silica films on Mo(112) have been tailored by embedding single Pd atoms into the nanopores of the oxide material. The embedded Pd is able to anchor metal adatoms that would not bind to the inert silica surface otherwise. Several adsorption structures, e.

2H solid-state NMR of ruthenium complexes.

The (2)H solid-state NMR spectra of the transition metal complexes Tp*RuD(THT)(2) (1a), Tp*RuD(D(2))(THT) (1b), Tp*RuD(D(2))(2) (1c), Cp*RuD(3)(PPh(3)) (2) and RuD(2)(eta(2)-D(2))(2)(PCy(3))(2) (3) have been measured in a wide temperature range. These compounds were chosen as potential model systems for hydrogen surface species in Ru-nanoparticles. The deuterium quadrupolar coupling constants Q(cc) and asymmetry parameters were extracted by (2)H NMR line-shape analysis.

The organometallic fac-[(CO)3Mn(H2O)3]+ aquaion: base-hydrolysis and kinetics of H2O-substitution.

The novel organometallic aqua complex [(CO)(3)Mn(H(2)O)(3)](+) (1(+)) was obtained through hydrolysis of the analogous acetone complex. IR [nu(CO) = 2051, 1944 cm(-)(1)] and (17)O NMR spectroscopy revealed the presence of a fac tricarbonyl unit. Potentiometric titrations established that the trimer [(CO)(3)Mn(3)(OH)(4)](-) was the principal condensation product in the pH range >6 prior to slow formation of the tetramer [[(CO)(3)Mn](OH)](4).

Fluxionality and Isomerism of the Bis(dihydrogen) Complex RuH(2)(H(2))(2)(PCy(3))(2): INS, NMR, and Theoretical Studies.

To study the fluxionality of the bis(dihydrogen) complex RuH(2)(H(2))(2)(PCy(3))(2) (1), NMR spectra were recorded in Freons (mixture of CDCl(3), CDFCl(2), and CDF(2)Cl). 1 was found to remain fluxional at all temperatures, but the presence of CDCl(3) necessary for its solubilization induces its transformation into, first, RuHCl(H(2))(2)(PCy(3))(2) (3) and the new ruthenium(IV) dihydride RuH(2)Cl(2)(PCy(3))(2) (4). 4 is produced selectively in pure CDCl(3) but reacts further to give a mixture of chloro complexes.