THE (1X3) REVERSIBLE (1X1) STRUCTURE TRANSITION OF IR(110)

Abstract

The fcc metals Ir, Pt and Au show different reconstruction behaviours of the (110) surfaces. For Pt and Au the (1 x 2) missing-row reconstruction is characteristic which converts into a (I x 1) bulk-determined surface, however disordered, at T(c) = 950 K and T(c) = 670 K, respectively. Higher-order structures, i.e., (1 x n) have been reported also for these surfaces. In case of Ir(110) more recent results give evidence that a (1 x 3) structure instead of (1 x 2) is the stable room temperature phase. Here we report the characteristic temperature for the (1 x 3) half arrow right over half arrow left (1 x 1) transition T(c) = 1055 /- 30 K.