Frozen thermal fluctuations in adsorbate-induced step restructuring

authored by

X. Q. Zhang, W. K. Offermans, R. A. Van Santen, A. P.J. Jansen, A. Scheibe, U. Lins, R. Imbihl

Abstract

Ammonia adsorbed on a Pt(443) surface causes meandering of the initially straight edges at 300 K. Based on density-functional theory calculations and on kinetic Monte Carlo simulations it is shown that the meandering is not an equilibrium structure stabilized by the larger adsorption energy of ammonia at step and kink sites. Rather the meandering has to be interpreted as a frozen thermal fluctuation caused by ammonia which strongly reduces the stiffness of the step edges at intermediate ammonia coverages.

Organisation(s)

Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry

External Organisation(s)

Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)

Type

Article

Journal

Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

Volume

82

ISSN

1098-0121

Publication date

02.09.2010

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Condensed Matter Physics

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.82.113401 (Access: Closed)
https://research.tue.nl/nl/publications/frozen-thermal-fluctuations-in-adsorbate-induced-step-restructuri (Access: Open)