Correlated LEED, work function and absolute coverage measurements of the oxidation of Ni(100) at 325 K

Abstract The oxidation of Ni(100) was studied by LEED, Δφ and nuclear reaction analysis. The data were accurately correlated through exposure and/or Δφ. Oxygen appears to move to subsurface sites by ≈ 0.4 ML, well before nucleation of oxide. The coverage at the maximum of the c(2 × 2) LEED pattern is 0.53 ± 0.05 ML. This maximum is reached just as the kinetic data indicate nucleation of oxide. The saturation coverage is consistent with a 3-layer NiO model for the passive film.