THE NITROGEN-INDUCED HERRINGBONE RECONSTRUCTION OF CR(110)

Segregation of nitrogen causes herringbone-like (3 x n) surface recons tructions, which were studied by atomically resolved scanning tunnelin g microscopy (STM). The main building blocks of the reconstruction are domains of (root 6 x root 6)R +/- 35 degrees cells, separated by doma in boundaries running in the [<(1)over bar 10>] direction. Since the d ensity of Cr atoms ill the surface is reduced by the reconstruction, t he driving force of the reconstruction is believed to be compressive s tress caused by the incorporation of N atoms into the surface. (C) 199 7 Elsevier Science B.V.