Studies of the Structure, Phase Transitions, and Dynamics ofAdsorbed Monolayers

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Experiments which utilize two complementary scattering techniques will be used to address a variety of problems of current interest in surface physics. These include: 1) the study of novel structures in molecular monolayers and the determination of the interactions which stabilize them; 2) the nature of collective vibrational excitations in quasi two- dimensional (2D) molecular solids; and 3) the study of phase transitions in adsorbed monolayers which either do not occur in bulk or which may be more tractable theoretically in 2D. The experiments will employ inelastic neutron scattering to investigate film dynamics and both elastic neutron diffraction and synchrotron x-ray scattering to probe film structure. In designing the experiments, considerable effort has been made to match the probe to the system of interest and to utilize the best facilities available in the United States. The latter include a neutron diffractometer equipped with a multidetector-data acquisition system at the University of Missouri Research Reactor Facility, state-of-the-art triple-axis spectrometers at Brookhaven National Laboratory, and a specially designed ultra- high vacuum sample chamber to be used at the x-ray beamline at the National Synchrotron Light Source. Of particular interest will be to apply this combination of probes to adsorbed hydrocarbon whose monolayer structure is crucial to a fundamental understanding of catalysis, lubrication and adhesion.