X-ray scattering study of the thermal roughening of Ag(110)

Abstract

We present the results of a high-resolution x-ray scattering study of the thermal roughening of Ag(110). Using scattering from the bulk forbidden (11\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}0) surface peak as a probe, we obtain direct information about thermal variations in the height-height correlation function. Specifically, we find that the surface undergoes a roughening transition at ${T}_{R}$=(450\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}25)\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. Above ${T}_{R}$, the rough phase is characterized by logarithmically divergent height fluctuations.