From novel PtSn/Pt(110) surface alloys to SnOx/Pt(110) nano-oxides

UHV evaporation of Sn on (1 × 2) Pt(110), followed by UHV annealing, provides three different PtSn/Pt(110) surface alloys, each characterized by a specific low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) pattern. When annealed in a controlled oxygen background, the PtSn/Pt(110) surface alloys can be transformed into SnOx/Pt(110) nano-oxides. This paper reports the experimental phase diagram of the metallic and oxidized surface superstructures.