The bonding geometry of nitrogen adsorbed on Rh(110) has been determined by means of low-energy-electron-diffraction I-V analysis. The nitrogen atoms are found to be adsorbed in the long bridge site with rows of Rh atoms missing in the [001] direction, and with a metal-nitrogen bond length similar to that found on other metal surfaces. This gives an overall structure in which the Rh and the adsorbate form metal-nitrogen-metal chains. Ultraviolet photoemission shows that the valence-band emission induced by nitrogen consists of a single peak which disperses strongly to higher energy in one azimuth. This is consistent with a band due to nitrogen p states which overlap most strongly along the chains.

• Received 18 May 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.51.1965