Physical Review Letters · 1986 · 157 citations · 10 references
Natural SciencesMaterials SciencePhysicsCondensed Matter PhysicsSolid State PhysicsSurface ScienceMetalsPhase TransitionsSurface CrystallographySurface KineticsSurface MagnetismSurface PhysicsNi-al AlloysSurface Atomic RelaxationSurface DisorderSurface PlanesSurface RelaxationSurface Relaxation EffectsSurface Relaxation KineticsSurface Relaxation Models
Results from simulations of Ni, Al, ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{3}$Al, and NiAl show long-range, oscillatory surface relaxations that decay exponentially into the bulk. Pure fcc Ni and Al have oscillation periods that are close to the nearest-neighbor distance, independent of crystal face. This is shown to be due to surface smoothing and steric effects. In ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{3}$Al and NiAl, the surface planes are rippled, with the Ni-Ni and Al-Al interlayer spacings oscillating 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} out of phase. Very good agreement between our results and experimentally measured atomic relaxations is obtained.
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