Structure and thermal stability of the Au(334) surface and Au(111) thin films in air: A scanning tunneling microscopy study

A Au(334) surface cleaned and annealed under ultra-high vacuum conditions was examined in air using a scanning tunneling microscope. The STM images reveal a smooth surface with a plateau structure. On top of the plateaus parallel rows of monatomic height steps can be observed. Annealing this surface in air to around 600 ° C results in segregation of impurities that form surface oxides. STM examination of this air annealed surface shows a structure where the plateaus have developed into large (111) facets. These facets are atomically smooth except for some steps near the edges. Au(111) films on mica, examined in air, were found to be atomically smooth over thousands of ångströms, with the surface having occasional monatomic height steps. Several transient effects encountered in STM imaging in air are discussed.