Cu(100)c(2x2)-N: a new type of adsorbate-induced surface reconstruction

Using a combination of photoelectron diffraction and scanning tunnelling mi croscopy the Cu(100)c(2 x 2)-N surface is shown to undergo a symmetry-lower ing reconstruction with a strong (0.34 Angstrom) periodic distortion of the outermost Cu layer perpendicular to the surface. The rumpling reconstructi on is shown to account for N-N attractions which create c(2 x 2) islands an d the systematic behaviour of inter-island boundary widths in the mesoscopi c self-organization of this surface.