Diffusion driven concerted motion of surface atoms: Ge on Ge(001)
The diffusion of Ge dimers on the Ge(001) surface has been studied with scanning tunneling microscopy. We have identified three different diffusion pathways for the dimers: diffusion of on-top dimers over the substrate rows, diffusion across the substrate rows, and diffusion of dimers in the trough. We report on a heretofore unknown phenomenon, namely, diffusion driven concerted motion of substrate atoms. This concerted motion is a direct consequence of the rearrangement of substrate atoms in the proximity of the trough dimer adsorption site.
Zandvliet
HJ
Department of Applied Physics and MESA+ Research Institute, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
Galea
TM
Zoethout
E
Poelsema
B