On the investigation of surface structure by reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED)

RHEED (Reflection High Energy Electron Diffraction) has been used to investigate surface structures. A formalism which allows fast, precise determination of the sizes, shapes and relative orientation of the lattices of well-ordered surface structures from the distances between the diffraction lines has been developed. This formalism is illustrated by the analysis of copper, gold and silicon surfaces and various surface structures formed on these. The relative precision of the measurements can in special cases be of the order of 10^?4 and will in general be better than 10^?3.