Two-dimensional Yb on a Mo(110) surface

The adsorption of Yb on a Mo(110) surface is studied by Auger electron spectroscopy, work-function-change ({Δ}{φ}) measurements, low-energy electron diffraction, thermal desorption spectroscopy, and energy-loss spectroscopy with the goal to determine the coordination range which can be obtained in a controlled manner. It is found that the number of nearest neighbors may be changed from 0 to 12 by going from a dilute two-dimensional gas to a multilayer, and that in certain coverage ranges the interatomic distances may be varied continuously. This makes such two-dimensional systems ideally suited for the study of the influence of coordination on the electronic structure.