Very-low-energy electron diffraction (VLEED) intensities from a clean
Cu(111) surface have been measured in detail in the energy range 15-10
0 eV by low-energy electron microscope (LEEM). This enabled the elimin
ation of possible disturbances due to stray magnetic fields. Correspon
ding theoretical I-V curves have been obtained in good agreement with
experimental data when an image-type surface barrier and anisotropy of
the electron attenuation were taken into account. The reliability fac
tor analysis indicates a slight expansion of the topmost interatomic s
pacing of Cu(111) relative to its bulk value.