Polarization-Dependent Resonant Anomalous Surface X-ray Scattering of CO/Pt(111)

TL;DR

This study investigates how the polarization of resonant anomalous surface X-ray scattering (RASXS) varies with surface modifications, demonstrating strong polarization dependence for CO adsorbed on platinum surfaces, supported by ab initio simulations.

Contribution

It reveals the polarization dependence of RASXS for buried interfaces and provides ab initio simulations to explain this phenomenon.

Findings

Strong polarization dependence observed in RASXS for CO/Pt(111) surfaces.

Simulations with FEFF8.2 successfully reproduce experimental polarization effects.

Elementary analysis explains the origin of polarization dependence in RASXS.

Abstract

Polarization dependence of resonant anomalous surface x-ray scattering (RASXS) was studied for interfaces buried in electrolytes or in high-pressure gas. We demonstrate that RASXS exhibits strong polarization dependence when the surface is only slightly modified by adsorption of light elements such as carbon monoxide on platinum surfaces. s- and p-polarization RASXS data were simulated with the latest version of ab initio multiple scattering calculations (FEFF8.2). Elementary considerations are additionally presented for the origin of the polarization dependence in RASXS.