Scanning-tunneling-microscopy observation of K-induced reconstructions on Au(110)

The K-induced reconstructions of the Au(110) surface at coverages up to 0.5 ML and various deposition and annealing temperatures were investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy. At very low coverages (0.1 ML) the K atoms stabilize missing-row-type structures with deep (1×{}3) channels. A (1×{}5) structure that consists of alternating (1×{}3) and (1×{}2) missing-row furrows is formed at θK{}0.05 ML, and a (1×{}3) phase appears at θK{}0.08 ML. A (1×{}2) missing-row structure, identical to that of the clean surface, is found in the coverage range between 0.15 and 0.25 ML. At coverages beyond 0.25 ML the K atoms disrupt the densely packed Au atomic rows of the surface, and highly anisotropic elements of a c(2×{}2) structure are formed. It is shown that, in agreement with previous studies, the c(2×{}2) structure consists of a mixed K-Au surface layer.