Surface diffusion of palladium,Θ=2 ML, on a tantalum microcrystal was studied by means of field electron emission microscopy within the temperature range 665-790 K. The observed sharp moving boundary-diffusion proceeds with an activation energy ranging from 1.25 to 1.7 eV/atom, depending on the crystallographic direction.
Diffusion of potassium adsorbate on the W(112) plane with preadsorbed nickel was investigated by means of the autocorrelation function of field emission current fluctuations. A comparison of the experimental autocorrelation function with that of a theoretical calculation by Gesley and Swanson gives the surface diffusion coefficient of potassium. From its temperature dependence the diffusion activation energy at several Ni pre-coverages for a constant potassium coverage (Θ_K=0.4) is derived. The dependence of the activation energy for potassium surface diffusion on the nickel coverage - first reduction and then an increase with increasing Ni coverage - is observed. This is in agreement with the results obtained from the spectral analysis of the field emission current fluctuations of the same system. The decrease is understood to be a result of the smoothing effect caused by Ni atoms on the W(112) plane.
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