Quantum Size Effects in Adatom Island Decay

Karina Morgenstern, Erik Lægsgaard, and Flemming Besenbacher
Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 166104 – Published 29 April 2005

Abstract

The decay of hexagonal Ag adatom islands on top of larger Ag adatom islands on a Ag(111) surface is followed by a fast-scanning tunneling microscope. Islands do not always show the expected increase in decay rate with decreasing island size. Rather, distinct quantum size effects are observed where the decay rate decreases significantly for islands with diameters of 6, 9.3, 12.6, and 15.6 nm. We show that electron confinement of the surface state electrons is responsible for this enhancement of the detachment barrier for adatoms from the island edge.

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  • Received 24 January 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.166104

©2005 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Karina Morgenstern1, Erik Lægsgaard2, and Flemming Besenbacher2,1

  • 1Institut für Festkörperphysik, Universität Hannover, Appelstrasse 2, D-30167 Hannover, Germany
  • 2Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), University of Aarhus, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark

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Vol. 94, Iss. 16 — 29 April 2005

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