One-dimensional Au on TiO2

One-dimensional Au rows are produced on the TiO2(110) surface by controlled photon-stimulated desorption followed by Au deposition at 750 K. In the resulting (1 x 2) structure, O vacancies are replaced by Au atoms, as demonstrated by combined laterally resolved x-ray spectroscopy and micro-LEED (low-energy electron diffraction) measurements. The experimental results are confirmed by first-principles calculations, which indicate strong Au-Ti bonding and a very stable configuration of the Au rows. The calculations determine the detailed atomic structure of the Au rows, with an inter-row spacing of 13 angstrom and an intra-row Au distance of 2.95 angstrom.