A SPALEED structural study of cesium adsorption on stepped copper surfaces Cu(211) and Cu(511)

The adsorption of cesium on stepped copper surfaces Cu(211) and Cu(511) at temperatures ranging from 130 to 300 K was studied using SPALEED. The two Cu substrates differ mainly in the low index orientation of the relatively short terraces and permit a comparison of the effect of orientation on the adsorption behaviour. For coverages between 0.6 and 1.8 ML on Cu(211) within the whole temperature range Cs forms quasihexagonal layers corresponding to rows of Cs atoms running along the step edges of the substrate. A strong 15% compression of the distance between Cs atoms along the step edge direction was found. Similar structures were found on Cu(511) where in addition at crystal temperatures in excess of 250 K and coverage of 1 monolayer, the Cs atoms induce a double step reconstruction of the substrate.