SURFACE-MELTING INDUCED FACETING OF ALUMINUM

Medium-energy ion scattering measurements have been used to study the temperature dependent behaviour of aluminium surfaces with surface ori entations in the (1(1) over bar0$) zone. The ion-scattering measuremen ts show that surface-melting induced faceting occurs between the melti ng (110) and the non-melting (111) orientations. The dry and melted fa cet orientations Theta(d) and Theta(m) have been determined up to 0.3 K from the bulk melting point. Close to the melting point these orient ations are almost independent of temperature, and amount to Theta(d)=7 +/-2 degrees and Theta(m)=29+/-2 degrees with respect to the (111) pla ne.