Palladium was deposited gradually under ultrahigh vacuum onto a well-defined surface of (0001)-oriented n-type GaN, at room temperature. Each deposition step was followed by annealing. Physicochemical properties of the Pd adlayers were in situ investigated prior to and after annealing by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy and atomic force microscopy techniques. Annealing resulted in the formation of GaPd 2 and GaPd intermetallic compounds at 550°C and at 800°C. Even for thicker layers, the compounds were strongly dispersed, forming 3D nanostructures. The substrate uncovered by the compounds revealed Ga-rich GaN(0001)-(1 9 1) surface. Formation of Ga-Pd-N bonds or Pd nitrides was not detected at the surface. The Ga-Pd intermetallic compound surface engineered on the GaN(0001) substrate can be used as the strongly dispersed catalyst or a model catalyst.

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