ATOMIC-SCALE RESOLUTION ON THE MGO(100) SURFACE BY SCANNING FORCE ANDFRICTION MICROSCOPY

MgO(100) surfaces have been imaged at atomic-scale resolution by scann ing force and friction microscopy (SFFM). The single crystals of MgO w ere cleaved and studied in dry air using a small loading force (4 . 10 (-10) N). Topographic and friction images reveal a square lattice of p rotrusions with a measured spacing of 0.274 nm. This value is close to the 2D surface lattice parameter of the MgO(100) surface (0.299 nm). The largest corrugation observed in the topographic images is 0.04 nm. Large-scale images reveal nearly parallel cleavage steps, separated b y an average distance of 150 nm and 0.4 nm high.