The persistence behavior for fluctuating steps on the Si(111)-( v 3x v3) R30°-Al surface was determined by analyzing time-dependent STM images for temperatures between 770 and 970 K. Using the standard persistence definition, the measured persistence probability displays power-law decay with an exponent of ? = 0.77 +- 0.03. This is consistent with the value of ? = 3/4 predicted for attachment-detachment limited step kinetics. If the persistence analysis is carried out in terms of return to a fixed-reference position, the measured probability decays exponentially. Numerical studies of the Langevin equation used to model step motion corroborate the experimental observations.
Revised: January 10, 2008 |
Published: September 6, 2002
Citation
Dougherty D.B., I. Lyubinetsky, E.D. Williams, M. Constantin, C. Dasgupta, and S. Das Sarma. 2002.Experimental Persistence Probability for Fluctuating Steps.Physical Review Letters 89, no. 13:136102.PNNL-SA-42660.