Local equilibrium in the dissolution and segregation kinetics of Ag on Cu(1Â 1Â 1) surface

The local equilibrium in the kinetic processes of dissolution and segregation of Ag on Cu(1 1 1) surface is addressed. The measured dissolution and segregation kinetic data of Ag on Cu(1 1 1) surface at temperature of 450 °C are well fitted by the modified Darken model. The segregation parameters, i.e. segregation energy, interaction and diffusion parameters, in the Cu(1 1 1)(Ag) binary system are obtained upon fitting. Using the obtained segregation parameters, the discontinuous transition of Ag surface concentration against the bulk concentration of the surface neighboring layers deduced from the local equilibrium model is quantitatively interpreted.