Scanning tunneling microscopy of the UO2 (111) surface

Abstract

Scanning tunneling microscope (STM) studies of UO2 surfaces have previously not been performed due to insufficient conductivity at room temperature, In order to increase the sample conductivity rye have carried out imaging at elevated temperatures in a JEOL 4500XT ultrahigh vacuum STM. With this instrument we can routinely image atomic terraces of the UO2 (111) surface and under exceptional circumstances also resolve atomic structure within the terraces. We have used low-energy electron diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy to study the surface order and purity and correlated these results with our STM data. (C) 1996 American Vacuum Society