Villarreal, R;
Kirkham, CJ;
Scarfato, A;
Bowler, DR;
Renner, C;
(2019)
Towards surface diffusion potential mapping on atomic length scale.
Journal of Applied Physics
, 125
(18)
, Article 184301. 10.1063/1.5091736.
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Abstract
The surface diffusion potential landscape plays an essential role in a number of physical and chemical processes such as self-assembly and catalysis. Diffusion energy barriers can be calculated theoretically for simple systems, but there is currently no experimental technique to systematically measure them on the relevant atomic length scale. Here, we introduce an atomic force microscopy based method to semiquantitatively map the surface diffusion potential on an atomic length scale. In this proof of concept experiment, we show that the atomic force microscope damping signal at constant frequency-shift can be linked to nonconservative processes associated with the lowering of energy barriers and compared with calculated single-atom diffusion energy barriers.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Towards surface diffusion potential mapping on atomic length scale |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1063/1.5091736 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5091736 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the version of record. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | Atom manipulation, Self assembly, Diffusion barriers, Atomic force microscopy, Catalysis, Adsorption, Activation energies, Surface physics, Potential energy barrier |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Physics and Astronomy |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10075542 |
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