Self-assembled alkali and alkaline earth metal nanopatterns on Fe3O4(001)
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2004Citation:
G. Mariotto, S. F. Ceballos, S. Murphy, N. Berdunov, C. Seoighe, and I. V. Shvets, Self-assembled alkali and alkaline earth metal nanopatterns on Fe3O4(001), Physical Review B (Condensed Matter and Materials Physics), 70, 3, 2004, 35417Download Item:
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Abstract:
We have studied the mechanism of nanopattern formation by self-assembly of impurities aggregated on the Fe3O4(001) surface. Self-assembly was controlled by thermal diffusion from the bulk of natural and artificial single crystals. We show that the diffusion of potassium and calcium is of fundamental importance to the surface dynamics of magnetite. The self-assembly of Ca and K impurities, combined with the reduction in oxygen concentration, leads to the formation of nanotrenches that can be identified as a p(1?4) structure. According to our model, the formation of nanotrenches contributes in two ways to the reduction of the surface energy. Firstly, alkali and alkaline earth impurities cause a reduction of the strain energy due to their large ionic radii. Secondly, their segregation and the reduction of the O?Fe ratio at the surface cause a reduction of the surface polarity. The structure of ordered nanotrenches could be used as a template for the deposition of carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, and DNA molecules.
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Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)
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http://people.tcd.ie/ivchvetshttp://people.tcd.ie/mariotl
http://people.tcd.ie/shmurphy
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Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)Type of material:
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Physical Review B (Condensed Matter and Materials Physics)70
3
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Surface Physics, magnetiteThe following license files are associated with this item: