In Situ Electrochemical, Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, and Surface X-ray Scattering Studies on Ag/AgCl Reaction at the Underpotentially Deposited Ag Bilayer on the Au(111) Electrode Surface

Ag/AgCl reaction at the Ag bilayer, which was underpotentially prepared on a Au(111) surface, was investigated using electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), surface X-ray scattering (SXS), and electrochemical techniques. When the potential was scanned positively from -200 mV, the Cl^[-] ion was adsorbed on the Au(111) electrode surface around 0 mV, and then the phase transition of the adsorbed Cl^[-] ion layer from random orientation to (√3 x √3) structure took place at around +130 mV. The Ag bilayer and Cl^[-] ions were oxidatively reacted to form the AgCl monolayer with (√13 x √13)R13.9° structure around +200 mV, accompanied with the formation of AgCl monocrystalline clusters on the AgCl monolayer surface. The structure of the AgCl monolayer on the Au(111) surface was changed from (√13 x √13)R13.9° structure to (4 x 4) structure around +500 mV. When the potential was scanned back negatively, the AgCl monolayer was electrochemically reduced, and a Ag monolayer, not a bilayer, was formed on the Au(111) surface. In the subsequent potential cycles, the structural change between the Ag monolayer and the AgCl monolayer was reversibly observed. All oxidative structural changes were much slower than the reductive ones

Depth-sensitive characterization of surface magnetic properties of as-quenched FeNbB ribbons

The longitudinal magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) is used to study the surface magnetic properties of as-quenched FeNbB ribbons. MOKE surface hysteresis loops measured from both ribbon sides confirm different magnetic behavior. Wheel ribbon side shows heterogeneous (crystalline/amorphous) properties, thickness of crystalline phase (about 3 nm) was established by comparing the measured magneto-optical angles of Kerr rotation and ellipticity at different incident angles with the theoretical model. Effective crystalline phase observed at shiny ribbon side is harder (coercive field about 40 Oe) than that on wheel side and penetrates deeper into the material volume. Its thickness 1.3 m estimated from the weight reduction of the ribbon during surface etching is in good agreement with cross-section image obtained using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The sources of magnetoelastic anisotropy were identified in the bulk as well as on the ribbon surface using the magneto-optical Kerr microscopy