Direct measurement of the attractive interaction forces on F0 color centers on MgO(001) by dynamic force microscopy.

König, Thomas; Simon, Georg H; Martinez, Umberto; Giordano, Livia; Pacchioni, Gianfranco; Heyde, Markus; Freund, Hans-Joachim · ACS Nano · 2010

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Defect sites on oxide surfaces play a dominant role in surface chemistry. The direct atomistic study of these sites is important but very difficult. We have mimicked the adsorbate-defect interaction by a dynamic force microscope tip measuring the interaction with a color center (F(0)) on the MgO(001) surface. The experimental findings, complemented by density functional theory calculations, show a highly attractive adsorbate-defect interaction and a charge transfer at a critical distance.