title: Structure of the twofold surface of the icosahedral Ag-In-Yb quasicrystal.
abstract: The structure of the twofold surface of the icosahedral (i-)Ag-In-Yb quasicrystal has been investigated using low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The LEED confirms that the surface exhibits quasicrystalline long range order with the twofold rotational symmetry expected from the bulk. STM images reveal a step-terrace structure with terrace size comparable to that of the other high symmetry surfaces of the same quasicrystal. The distribution of step heights and high resolution STM images of terraces suggest that the surface terminates at bulk planes that intersect the center of rhombic triacontahedral clusters, the building blocks of the system, as in the case of the threefold and fivefold surfaces of the system. These planes are rich in Yb and In. No facets are observed on the surface, suggesting that the twofold surface is as stable as the other high symmetry surfaces.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan. Department of Physics, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Nugent
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimoda
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ledieu
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fournée
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D003460:Crystallization; D004583:Electrons; D007204:Indium / Q000737:chemistry*; D016252:Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D010316:Particle Size; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D015018:Ytterbium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007204:Indium; D012834:Silver; D015018:Ytterbium