NUCLEATION AND DIFFUSION OF CU ADATOMS ON CU(100) - A HELIUM-ATOM-BEAM SCATTERING STUDY

We have determined the diffusion coefficient of a Cu adatom on Cu(100) by using helium-atom-beam scattering as a probe. Our approach relies on measuring in situ and in real time the separation between islands nucleated on individual terraces during a submonolayer deposition of Cu. The method can be applied with other surface-sensitive diffraction techniques as well.