PNNL

Abstract

Understanding the structure of well-defined anatase TiO2 surfaces is critical for deciphering site-specific thermal and photo- reaction mechanisms on anatase TiO2. Using UHV scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), we have studied the atomic structure of anatase TiO2(001) epitaxial thin films grown by oxygen plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Bright rows of the (1×4) reconstructed surface are resolved as three types of features with different sizes. High-resolution STM images taken from the same area at different bias voltages show that these individual features are originated from combinations of two basic atomic building blocks. We propose a modified added molecule model for the anatase TiO2 (001) surface structure.