Electronically driven reconstruction of TaC(100)

The structure of a stoichiometric TaC(100) surface has been determined by an analysis of its low-energy electron diffraction I–V spectra. It was determined that the surface is reconstructed such that 〈011〉 rows of carbon atoms are displaced outward and 〈011〉 rows of Ta inward with respect to the truncated bulk atomic layer. The electrostatic forces on the surface atoms that are induced by the termination of the solid drive this rippled reconstruction.