The stresses that were present, even in equilibrium, at solid surfaces were investigated. First-principles calculations of the surface stress tensor for the aluminium, iridium, platinum and gold (111) surfaces were performed. These indicated the presence of a tensile surface stress in each case. The results for aluminium were compared with those for jellium, and the origins of the surface stress were considered. An investigation was made of the role that surface stress might play in driving surface reconstructions where the density of surface atoms was different to the corresponding value for the terminated bulk structure. A simple model was presented which revealed the competition between the various forces involved in such a reconstruction.

Theory of Surface Stress and Surface Reconstruction. R.J.Needs, M.J.Godfrey, M.Mansfield: Surface Science, 1991, 242[1-3], 215-21