Abstract: | The structural stability of stepped Ni(755) and Ni(771) surfaces in the temperature range 20–500°C and during adsorption of oxygen and different forms of carbon has been studied using scanning tunneling microscopy and low-energy electron diffraction. A phase transition from the structure with double steps at room temperature to the structure with single steps at a temperature above 350°C has been observed on the clean Ni(755) surface. This transition disappears after oxygen adsorption at a temperature above 350dgC. In this case, the structure on the Ni(755) surface with single steps is stabilized in contrast to Ni(771), which tends to faceting during oxygen adsorption. It has been shown that fullerenes C60 form an array of one-dimensional chains at the upper boundaries of steps of the substrate, when they are adsorbed on the Ni(755) surface. |