Structure of the Rh₂O₃(0001) surface

Abstract

We have studied the (0001) surface termination of Rh2O3 on a Rh(111) single crystal using a combination of high resolution core level spectroscopy, low energy electron diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory. By exposing the Rh(111) to atomic oxygen we are able to grow Rh2O3 layers exposing the (0001) surface. The experiments support the theoretical predictions stating that the surface is terminated with an O-Rh-O trilayer yielding a RhO2 termination instead of a bulk Rh2O3 termination. The structural details as found by the DFT calculations are presented and reasons for the previously observed strong differences in catalytic activity between the structurally similar RhO2 surface oxide, and the Rh2O3(0001) surface are discussed.