Equilibrium and Non-Equilibrium Defect Structure of Metal Surfaces

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This project addresses the structure and stability of metal surfaces. Part of the work deals with methods by which an equilibrium rough surface can be forced into an ordered state under steady-state sputter growth conditions. The ability to control or reduce disorder by an inert technique can have important consequences for film growth techniques. The second area of study is the determination of the equilibrium crystal shape (ECS) of silver near the (110) plane. An understanding of the ECS is a necessary prerequisite to interpretations of growth, catalysis, diffusion, etc. involving the silver surface. The final part of the project deals with surface phase transitions and surface disorder transitions and surface disorder transitions occuring in alkali metal surface layers on (110) substrates. The research will study the phase diagram of such transitions in the context of current theories of these phase transitions.