Comparison of transverse-electron-focusing and scanning-tunneling-microscopy measurements on Ag(001) and (011) surfaces

Abstract

Chemically etched Ag (001) and (011) surfaces have been studied from inside the sample by transverse-electron-focusing (TEF) experiments and from outside the sample with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The TEF experiments give mean reflection coefficients of 0.37±0.03 for the (011) surface and 0.64±0.02 for the (001) surface. This difference is confirmed by the STM data, which show a hilly (011) surface, while the (001) surface consists of large, atomically flat terraces. With the additional information from the STM, the unexpected high specular reflectivity, which is often observed in TEF experiments, is explained.