Paper SS-TuP12
Critical Review and Recommended Values of Work Functions for Low Index Faces of Clean Metal Surfaces

Tuesday, November 11, 2014, 6:30 pm, Room Hall D

Despite the fundamental interest and technological importance of the work function, the standard reference tables of this quantity used by the surface science community are outdated, incomplete, and include flawed experimental information. In this work, a thorough critical review of the entire literature is undertaken, with both the cleanliness and characterization of the surfaces and the reliability of the experimental techniques examined. Unreliable data is rejected and realistic uncertainty estimates are made for the all of the comparatively reliable data. Based on this information, recommended values of the work functions and their uncertainties are presented for all clean metal surfaces with low index crystal faces for which good data exists, along with updated tables that include all of the primary references and relevant information needed to evaluate each surface and generate such recommended values. Details of the evaluation protocols employed are also presented. It is anticipated that the information presented here will be useful both in technological applications (such as electrochemistry and microelectronics) and in the testing of theoretical models for electrons at metal surfaces.