Oxygen-induced reconstructions on Cu(211)

The chemisorption of oxygen on the vicinal Cu(211) surface and the subseque nt reconstructions have been studied by means of He-atom scattering, spot p rofile analysis-low-energy electron diffraction, scanning tunneling microsc opy, and Auger-electron spectroscopy. At temperatures below 250 K oxygen ad sorbs without any pronounced ordering whereas at elevated temperatures abov e 300 K the surface starts to reconstruct and the formation of double steps occurs. Several ordered superstructures have been identified that depend o n the thermal activation. The double steps are thermally stable up to 800 K . Experiments for very low oxygen coverages indicate that the reconstructio n starts initially at the step edges and involves later subsurface oxide fo rmation. Preliminary measurements for a regularly kinked surface reveal a s imilar oxygen-induced reconstruction. [S0163-1829(98)10439-3].