Abstract
Atomic resolution images of the polar (000) surface of lithium niobate (LiNbO) are achieved by frequency modulation atomic force microscopy operated at the solid-water interface. The measured data reveal a hexagonal surface unit cell. Its lattice constant corresponds to the bulk-truncated structure, suggesting that the high-temperature annealed surface does not reconstruct. Compared to the (000) surface, high-resolution imaging on the oppositely charged (0001) surface is considerably more difficult to achieve. This finding is rationalized by density functional calculations that indicate a higher corrugation and softer bonds on the (000) surface compared to the (0001) surface.
- Received 31 March 2012
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.86.075468
©2012 American Physical Society