It was noted that the reconstruction of atomically close-packed crystalline surfaces could correspond to complex domain structures having different types of stacking region. The surface deformation was described here as arising from a trigonal network of sub-surface misfit dislocations which were partially dissociated into Shockley dislocations that delimited intrinsic and/or extrinsic stacking faults. A theory which was based upon isotropic elasticity was proposed in order to evaluate changes in the surface topography for various extensions of the domain structures and heights of the uppermost layers. In the case of annealed (11l) Ni75Pt25 single crystals, observed using scanning tunnelling microscopy, computer-generated images described correlations between the positions of ditches and sub-surface misfit dislocation segments. This theory had the advantage of being fully applicable to hetero-epitaxial systems that relaxed via the formation of misfit dislocations.

Evaluation of Surface Strain due to the Reconstruction of Atomically Close-Packed Crystalline Surfaces. R.Bonnet: Physical Review B, 2000, 61[20], 14059-65