Structure of Pd overlayers on Nb and Ta and the relationship to hydrogen uptake

Abstract

Films of Pd deposited onto Nb and Ta undergo a structural change at a thickness of about one monolayer, where the Pd goes from a commensurate structure on (110) Nb and Ta to (111) fcc Pd for thicker films. When this change occurs there is a dramatic increase in the hydrogen-uptake rate into the underlying metal.