Observation of surface-initiated melting
Abstract
Ion-shadowing and blocking measurements reveal a reversible order-disorder transition at the (110) surface of a lead crystal well below its melting point Tm. The transition starts with partial disordering of the surface region at approximately 0.75Tm. Closer to Tm a completely disordered film builds up with a thickness that increases rapidly as the temperature approaches Tm. Electron diffraction patterns show the loss of two-dimensional order of the Pb(110) surface, at a temperature where the surface is nearly completely disordered. A detailed analysis of the surface cleanliness provides evidence against the possible role of surface impurities in the observed effects.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review B
- Pub Date:
- December 1986
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevB.34.7506
- Bibcode:
- 1986PhRvB..34.7506F
- Keywords:
-
- 64.70.Dv;
- 61.80.Mk;
- 68.35.Md;
- Solid-liquid transitions;
- Surface thermodynamics surface energies