Abstract
A low-energy electron diffraction analysis of the clean K(110) surface has been performed at 25 K, providing a quantitative structural determination of a clean alkali-metal surface. The K(110) surface exhibits a novel surface phase consisting of a lateral shear displacement between the first two surface planes while preserving their two-dimensional periodicity. The atomistic description of this surface structure is related to that of the bulk martensitic phase transitions of the alkali metals.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2488-2491 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Physical Review Letters |
| Volume | 68 |
| Issue number | 16 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1992 |