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Disordering of the (111) surface of germanium crystal near its bulk melting temperature.

01 January 1988

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The reversible disordering transition of Ge(111) surface near 1050K (160K below the bulk melting temperature) has been studied by low energy electron diffraction (LEED). Measurements were made using a position-sensitive detection system with the following characteristics: maximum speed 10 sup 5 electrons/sec, resolution 256x256-channels with 16 bits per channel. LEED peak and total (integrated) intensities were recorded for varying electron energy E (I(E) plots) or varying crystal temperature T (I(T) plots). Angular intensity profiles and intensity contour plots were also recorded. The (I(E) plots are interpreted to indicate that layer-like crystalline order is preserved in the transition, up to but possibly not including the outermost double-layer. The angular intensity profiles are interpreted to rule out thermal roughening as a disordering mechanism.