HIGH-RESOLUTION LOW-ENERGY-ELECTRON DIFFRACTION STUDY OF FLATTENING ON THE TIO2(110) SURFACE

We investigate the thermal annealing of a TiO2 surface on atomic length scales using high resolution low energy electron diffraction (spot profile analysis) to measure the interface width and the lateral correlation length of a surface height function. In particular, we find the correlation length (similar to average terrace size) increases with time during annealing as t1/4 at temperatures above 800 K, in agreement with predictions derived for continuous macroscopic surfaces. © 1995 The American Physical Society.