Abstract
Atomically resolved scanning tunneling microscopy reveals the existence of triangular (111) bulk terminated NaCl islands. The islands can be grown by subsequent adsorption of Na and on Al(111) and Al(100) or by conversion of stoichiometric NaCl(100) islands to NaCl(111) via additional Na adsorption. The NaCl(111) islands have Na-Cl-Na sandwich structure. Ab initio calculations of the electronic structure of these islands show that each of the Na atoms carries half a positive elementary charge, leaving the islands neutral and explaining the existence of an otherwise unstable surface.
- Received 21 August 2000
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.5376
©2000 American Physical Society