Interaction of oxygen and silver on the V(100) surface

The interaction of silver ultrathin films and chemisorbed oxygen is studied on the V(100) surface using AES, XPS and UPS techniques. It is found that oxygen induces a disordering of silver films even at 220 K. The disordering of the films is more pronounced at higher temperatures. Above 600 K the diffusion of oxygen into the vanadium bulk takes place, and consequently the films restore gradually their ordered structure. At 800 K oxygen disappears completely, exclusively due to the presence of a silver film.