The discovery of a novel diffusion pathway for Si dimers on the (001)Si surface was reported. As in the case of a small molecule, it was noted that the configuration of the dimer could play a central role in diffusion. Scanning tunnelling microscopy, at temperatures near to 450K, revealed changes in the configuration of the dimers during diffusion. These changes provided a pathway for diffusion across the substrate dimer rows; unlike the usual diffusion along dimer rows.

B.Borovsky, M.Krueger, E.Ganz: Physical Review Letters, 1997, 78[22], 4229-32