Atomic structure of a monolayer of NaCl on Ag (110) surface*

Here we report on the adsorption of an NaCl film on Ag (110) under ultra-high vacuum conditions. At room temperature, Low Energy Electron Diffraction and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy show that the NaCl film forms a (4x1) superstructure. At RT, the film consists of small-sized islands that coalesce into larger islands at 410 K. These large islands preserve the (4x1) superstructure and cover the entire surface. A computational study using density functional theory calculations, with and without the inclusion of van der Waals effects confirm the co-existence of two domains in agreement with the observed structure. We report on the calculated change in the work-function and charge transfer for the tow adsorption configurations as well as the geometrical details including adsorption height and corrugation.