Tellurization of Pd(111): absence of PdTe$_2$ but formation of a TePd$_2$ surface alloy

Abstract

In a recent publication [2D Materials, 8, 045033 (2021), arXiv:2103.11403], it was reported that the growth of a monolayer PdTe$_2$ in ultra-high vacuum could be achieved by deposition of tellurium on a palladium (111) crystal surface and subsequent thermal annealing. By means of low-energy electron diffraction intensity (LEED-IV) structural analysis, we show that the obtained $\left(\sqrt{3}\times \sqrt{3} \right)\textrm{R30}^\circ$ superstructure is in fact a TePd$_2$ surface alloy. Attempts to produce a PdTe$_2$ layer in ultra-high vacuum by increasing the Te content on the surface were not successful.