Single crystal RuO2/Ti and RuO2/TiO2 interface: LEED, Auger and XPS study

Abstract The interactions at the evolving RuO2/titanium interface have been studied by LEED, AES and XPS. Titanium films of up to 5 monolayers were evaporated onto well ordered and ion sputtered ruthenium dioxide crystal surfaces of (110) and (100) orientation. Stabilization of the surface oxygen content under thermal treatment in UHV (up to 600°C) with increasing titanium coverage was established. After extended (up to 4 h) annealing in O2 at 600°C an epitaxial ordering of TiO2 on RuO2(110) was observed. The (1 × 1) LEED patterns from the epitaxial layer exhibit a reduced background level when compared to the RuO2 substrate itself. These findings are correlated with the XPS data and are interpreted in connection with the disappearance of the defect RuO2 phase in the surface layer of the RuO2. The appearance of the (1 × 2) surface reconstruction at the RuO2(100)/Ti interface is discussed in the context of maximum cation coordination by oxygen atoms.