A simplified method to determine the coverage dependence of surface diffusion coefficients

A new method to determine the coverage dependence of surface diffusion coefficients from coverage-gradient experiments is presented. The initial coverage-gradient employed is an evacuated circular region surrounded by a constant coverage. In order to demonstrate this method, Fick's second law equation was numerically solved using coverage-dependent surface diffusion coefficients. An analysis of the results demonstrates that the coverage dependence of the surface diffusion coefficient can be determined using a simple extrapolation procedure. The coverage dependence can be obtained for a wide range of functional forms for the surface diffusion coefficient. The extrapolation procedure requires only that the number of adsorbates that have diffused back into the initially evacuated region be measured as a function of time. This method should be useful in the interpretation of coverage-gradient surface diffusion experiments, especially those performed using laser-induced thermal desorption techniques.