The adsorption of nit ric oxide on a Cu(1l1) surface
has been studi ed using X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and high
resolution e lectron energy loss spectroscopies (HREEL) in the
tcmpenllurc range 80-410 K. Nitricoxide had no interacation
with surface at room tempe rature, while it was adsorbed
molecularly on un an nealed Cu surface and then dissociated to
ni trogen and oxygen atoms. Exposure of surface to NO at 80K
showed mo lecular adsorpt ion of NO and N20. The exposure
dependent HREEL spectra of NO at the clean Cu su rface at
80K and for subsequent warming up to room temperature
showed loss peaks at 344 em-I, 680 em-I, 1525 em-I, 1830 em-I,
and 2140 em-I. The vibrational mode at 1830 cm-l was ass igned
to N-O stretch of NO handed in a lOp position, the 1525 cm-l
loss peak was attributed to the N-O stretch of NO honded in
two fold bridge sites, the loss peak at 680 cm-l was assigned to
a bending mode of NO(adS) the loss peak at 2140 em-I was due
to (N-N) stre tChing mode of N20 formed. The intense feature
at 344 em-I was identified as the Cu-NO stre tching mode_