title: Experimental Evidence for a Three-Body Interaction between Diffusing CO Molecules.
abstract: The diffusion of carbon monoxide molecules on Cu(111) is investigated in time-lapsed scanning tunneling microscopy in a temperature range from 30 to 38 K. An asymptotic theory of adsorbate diffusion predicted a trio interaction that changes the diffusion barrier of three particles diffusing in close proximity beyond the change induced by the long-range interaction between three pairs of molecules. Distance-dependent variations in the diffusion energy confirm this theoretical prediction. In future, the theory can better assist experiments for a broader exploration, not only for diffusion, but also for nucleation and reaction.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Universität Hannover , Institut für Festkörperphysik, Appelstr. 2, D-30167 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zaum
authors.affiliation: Ruhr-Universität Bochum , Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie I, Universitätsstr. 150, D-44801 Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morgenstern
keywords: CO; Three-body effects; diffusion; scanning tunneling microscopy