Step dynamics on Au(110) studied with a high-temperature, high-speed scanning tunneling microscope

The dynamics of monoatomic steps on the Au(110) surface was studied with a scanning tunneling microscope from room temperature to 590 K. The time dependence of the position fluctuations of steps was measured as a function of temperature and kink density. The mean-square displacement of the position was found to be proportional to the square root of time. The proportionality constant exhibits Arrhenius behavior and varies linearly with the kink density. The step dynamics is dominated by the diffusion of geometrical kinks that cannot pass each other.