Core-electron bindings energies in atoms and monolayers adsorbed on metallic substrates.

A Born-Haber cycle analysis of photoemission from atoms and monolayers adsorbed on metallic surfaces elucidates the effects of the substrate on the initial and final state contributions to measured core-electron binding energies. For rare gases both a dependence on the work function of the substrate and on the final state screening energy are identified. Depending on the relative magnitudes of the work function of the substrate and the ionization potential of the core-ionized atom, the screening charge may reside either in the substrate or on the adsorbate atom itself.