Combinatorial investigation of transition metals deposited on anatase TiO2 surface

By using a combinatorial laser molecular beam epitaxy (MBE)/in situ low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunneling microscope (STM) system, we have investigated a behavior of transition metals (TMs) deposited on the anatase TiO2 (0 0 1)–(4 1) surface systematically. TiO2 (0 0 1) thin films were fabricated on 0.05 mol% Nb doped SrTiO3 (0 0 1) substrates and on each of those films TMs were deposited with gradual variation of its deposition amount. In situ analysis of the libraries with LEED and STM revealed the surface morphologies that were sensitive to TM element and on the process temperature. The results are discussed in terms of the oxide formation enthalpy DH kJ mol 1 of TMs. # 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved