High-resolution electron microscopy investigations of Au films showed that adatoms on (100) surfaces insert into the underlying terrace to form surface dislocations. This injection readily occurred when the number of adatoms on a terrace was some 20 atoms or less. The surface dislocation glides along the terrace, but was repelled from the edges. The dislocation escapes by squeezing out in the dislocation line direction (not gliding out the terrace edge). Atomistic simulations confirmed the dislocation stability, easy glide along the terrace and trapping at the terrace edge. These results had profound implications for film growth.

Dislocation Injection, Reconstruction and Atomic Transport on {001} Au Terraces. H.W.Zandbergen, C.W.Pao, D.J.Srolovitz: Physical Review Letters, 2007, 98[3], 036103 (4pp)