THE IR(110) SURFACE STUDIED BY STM

The Ir(110) surface is studied by STM, assisted by LEED and AES. The c lean surface exhibits a mesoscopic ''rippling'' due to formation of (3 31) facets, confirming former results. The ''ridges'' formed by the in clining and declining facets are up to several 100 Angstrom long in [1 (1) over bar 0] direction and have an average width of approximately 4 0 Angstrom, resulting in a quite rough topography on a mesoscopic scal e. At the top of the ridges a close packed double row separating the f acets has been found. The Ir(110) surface is the only known fcc(110) s urface that exhibits stabilization via (331) facets, whereas Au(110) a nd Pt(110) reconstruct in the (1 x 2) missing row structure with(111) facets. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.