Spontaneous domain switching during phase separation of Pb on Ge(111).
Using low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM), we have discovered a novel phase separation mechanism for Pb on Ge(111). When the low Pb coverage (1 x 1) phase coexists with the high coverage beta phase, the surface consists of approximately 100 nm sized domains that spontaneously switch from one phase to the other. We argue this striking mechanism occurs because nanometer-scale domains can have density fluctuations comparable to the density difference between the two phases.
Sato
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Y
Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
Chiang
S
S
Bartelt
N C
NC