Related papers: Atomically straight steps on vicinal Si (111) surf…
We introduce a simple two region model where the diffusion constant in a small region around each step on a vicinal surface can differ from that found on the terraces. Steady state results for this model provide a physically suggestive…
The self-assembly of submonolayer amounts of Au on the densely stepped Si(553) surface creates an array of closely spaced \atomic wires" separated by 1.5 nm. At low temperature, charge transfer between the terraces and the row of silicon…
We study the effect of a constant electrical field applied on vicinal surfaces such as the Si$(111)$ surface. An electrical field parallel to the steps induces a meandering instability with a nonzero phase shift. Using the…
Four-point measurements using a multi-tip scanning tunneling microscope (STM) are carried out in order to determine surface and step conductivities on Si(111) surfaces. In a first step, distance-dependent four-point measurements in the…
We model an apparent instability seen in recent experiments on current induced step bunching on Si(111) surfaces using a generalized 2D BCF model, where adatoms have a diffusion bias parallel to the step edges and there is an attachment…
Here we present a structural study of pentacene (Pn) thin films on vicinal Ag(111) surfaces by He atom diffraction measurements and density functional theory (DFT) calculations supplemented with van der Waals (vdW) interactions. Our He atom…
Considering a double-barrier structure formed by a silicon quantum dot covered by natural oxide with two metallic terminals, we derive simple conditions for a step-like voltage-current curve. Due to standard chemical properties, doping…
Using the plane wave pseudopotential method we performed density functional theory calculations on the stability of steps and self-diffusion processes on Ag(100). Our calculated step formation energies show that the {111}-faceted step is…
Concave-shaped 4H-SiC {0001} surfaces have been prepared and reconstructed in pure liquid silicon for investigating the structure and morphology evolution of the SiC surface as a function of both azimuthal and off-axis angles. Different…
Adsorption of submonolayer amounts of Ag on vicinal Cu(111) induces periodic faceting. The equilibrium structure is characterized by Ag-covered facets that alternate with clean Cu stripes. In the atomic scale, the driving force is the…
Nanoscale step structures have attracted recent interest owing to their importance in both fundamental and applied research, for example in adsorption, in catalysis, and in directing nanowire growth. Here, we used a template-stripping…
Networks of steps, seen in STM observations of vicinal surfaces on Au and Pt (110), are analyzed. A simple model is introduced for the calculation of the free energy of the networks as function of the slope parameters, valid at low step…
Structural disorder causes materials surface electronic properties, e.g. work function ($\phi$) to vary spatially, yet it is challenging to prove exact causal relationships to underlying ensemble disorder, e.g. roughness or granularity. For…
We report on density functional total energy calculations of the step formation and interaction energies for vicinal TaC(001) surfaces. Our calculations show that double and triple-height steps are favored over single-height steps for a…
Supported nanoscale lead crystallites with a step emerging from a non-centered screw dislocation on the circular top facet were prepared by rapid cooling from just above the melting temperature. STM observations of the top facet show a…
We demonstrate guiding of cold neutral atoms along a current carrying wire. Atoms either move in Kepler-like orbits around the wire or are guided in a potential tube on the side of the wire which is created by applying an additional…
Conventional spin-degenerated surface electrons have been effectively manipulated by using organic and inorganic self-assembled nanoarrays as resonators. Step superlattices naturally assembled in vicinal surfaces are a particularly…
High-index surfaces of silicon with adsorbed gold can reconstruct to form highly ordered linear step arrays. These steps take the form of a narrow strip of graphitic silicon. In some cases - specifically, for Si(553)-Au and Si(557)-Au - a…
We investigate the nonlinear evolution of the Bales-Zangwill instability, responsible for the meandering of atomic steps on a growing vicinal surface. We develop an asymptotic method to derive, in the continuous limit, an evolution equation…
The (111) surface of CaF$_2$ has been intensively studied with large-amplitude frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy and atomic contrast formation is now well understood. It has been shown that the apparent contrast patterns obtained…