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Abstract:
The formation of the c(6 × 2)−O phase on a Cu(110) surface, after completion of the (2 × 1)−O structure, was observed by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The phase is composed of isotropic structural elements on fourfold hollow sites of the substrate lattice, which form a quasi-hexagonal array and manifest themselves as large protrusions in the STM images. Individual units of this type are mobile and also represent stable nuclei within a (2 × 1) surrounding. Nucleation is activated and occurs preferentially at steps, in contrast to previous findings with the (2 × 1) phase. Structural implications of additional weak features in high resolution images and of the observed change in two-dimensional density of Cu atoms are discussed.
