Step fluctuation spectroscopy of Au(1Â 1Â 1) by LEEM

We report a study of the fluctuations exhibited by step edges on clean Au(1 1 1), using low energy electron microscopy. The research yields values for the surface mass diffusion coefficient Ds and the orientation-dependent step stiffness β˜(θ) through the temperature range 900-1300 K. Uniform, threefold and sixfold components of the measured β˜(θ) on the 3 m surface have similar magnitudes and are only weakly temperature dependent. The measured Ds are similar to values reported earlier for Pt(1 1 1) and Pd(1 1 1) at homologous temperatures, determined relative to the melting temperatures.