Measurement of microscopic coupling constants between atoms on a surface: Combination of LEEM observation with lattice model analysis

We present a method combining low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM) and lattice model analysis for measuring the microscopic lateral coupling constants between atoms on a surface. The calculated step (interface) stiffness in a honeycomb lattice Ising model with the nearest neighbor and the second nearest neighbor interactions (J1 = 93.8 meV and J2 = 9.38 meV) matched the experimental step quantity values on an Si(111)(1 × 1) surface reported by Pang et al. and Bartelt et al. based on LEEM measurements. The experimental value of step tension obtained by Williams et al. lies on the calculated step tension curve. The polar graphs of the step tension and a two-dimensional island shape at the temperature T = 1163 K also agree well with the experimental graphs reported by Métois and Müller. The close agreement between the LEEM observations and the lattice model calculations on a Si(111) surface suggests that our method is also suitable for measuring microscopic lateral coupling constants on the surface of other materials that are less well-studied than Si.