Electric Field Induced Reconstructions in STM Experiments on Au(111) Surfaces
Abstract
Reconstruction of atomically flat and negatively charged Au(111) surfaces during ATM imaging in air is reported. Formation of corrugation line pairs of 0.2 angstroms height and 63 angstroms periodic spacing during scanning is attributed to a local electric field induced transition of the surface layer into the reconstructed phase. The concurrent formation of holes and translation of steps during reconstruction suggests that Au(111) allows for both in-plane contraction and in-plane expansion of interatomic bond distances. STM images reveal that the observed corrugated lines in the structure are mobile and anneal into a stable surface structure on the time-scale of tens of seconds.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 27, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA246849
Entities
People
- Henry S. White
- Joachim H. Scott
Organizations
- University of Minnesota