Ag-stripe Formation on the Ni(110) Surface

Abstract

Ag stripe formation on the Ni(110) surface was studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and first-principles calculations. Ag forms self-limited one-dimensional stripes with fluctuating edges. The stripes consist of one-dimensional Ag clusters in the [110] direction, stabilized by lattice-mismatch-induced confinement, dynamic edge instability near a critical size, and one-dimensional Ag 5s band formation. These results highlight a cooperative structural and electronic mechanism in the formation of Ag stripes on the Ni(110) surface.