Pulsed supersonic molecular beam for characterization of chemically active metal-organic complexes at surfaces

Metal-organic coordination networks (MOCNs) at surfaces consist of a complex of organic ligands bound to an atomic metal center. The MOCNs, when chosen appropriately, can form highly-ordered arrays at surfaces. Ultra-high vacuum surface studies allow control of surface composition and provide 2D growth restrictions, which lead to under-coordinated metal centers. These systems provide an opportunity to tailor the chemical function of the metal centers due to the steric restrictions imposed by the surface. Tuning the adsorption/desorption energy at a metal center and developing a cooperative environment for catalysis are the key scientific questions that motivate the construction of a molecular beam surface analysis system. Characterization of the created systems can be performed utilizing a pulsed supersonic molecular beam (PSMB) in unison with a quadrupole mass spectrometer. A PSMB allows for the highly controlled delivery of reactants with well-defined energy to a given platform making it possible to elucidate detailed chemical tuning information.;In this thesis, a summary of prior theoretical molecular beam derivations is provided. Design considerations and an overview of the construction procedure for the current molecular beam apparatus, including initial characterization experiments, are presented. By impinging an Ar beam on a Ag(111) surface, the location of the specular angle (∼65°) and rough sample perimeter coordinates were determined. Additionally, surface analysis experiments, mainly Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES), were performed to investigate the oxidation of epitaxial graphene on the SiC(0001) surface utilizing an oxygen cracking method. The AES experiments are described in detail and highlight the challenges that were faced when several different graphene samples were used for the oxygen adsorption/desorption experiments.