Thermal desorption from metal surfaces: A review

In this review an attempt is made to draw correlations between thermal desorption and structural studies of chemisorption on metal surfaces. Alternative models are discussed for the appearance of multiple peaks and for lineshape analysis in desorption, the first involving multiple binding states and the second lateral interactions within a homogeneous chemisorbed layer. Criteria are discussed for distinguishing between the various possibilities for a particular system, in particular with relation to the adsorption of hydrogen and carbon monoxide on tungsten.