Adsorption anisotropy in layer chalcogenides

Abstract

Auger electron spectroscopy has been applied to investigate surfaces of some layer chalcogenides prepared by cleavage and by argon ion bombardment. The creation of defects leads to large increases in the reactivities of basal faces. The sticking coefficient for oxygen is found to be orders of magnitude greater for nonbasal surfaces than for basal faces, the anisotropy factor being at least 1011 for TiTe2 and NbSe2.