X-Ray Diffraction Studies: Melting of Pb Monolayers on Cu(110) Surfaces

Abstract

This x-ray scattering study of the melting of a monolayer of Pb on the Cu(110) surface reveals an irreversible commensurate-to-incommensurate transition and an anisotropic reversible incommensurate melting transition. This study demonstrates the impressive capabilities of surface x-ray diffraction techniques since (1) kinematic theory can be used to interpret the results, (2) correlation lengths of >1000 Å are easily measured, and (3) high counting rates (>5000 cps) were measured from a monolayer of Pb.