Intrinsic defects on the near-stoichiometric (110) surface were studied by means of scanning tunnelling microscopy. Heat treatment, at temperatures of 870 to 1070K, under ultra-high vacuum produced changes in the orientation of single steps. Line defects along [001], and O vacancies, formed simultaneously and were the predominant surface defects under these conditions. Atomically resolved scanning tunnelling microscopic images made it possible to determine their geometrical structures. Simple structural models were developed in order to explain the high stability of electrostatically neutral [001] single steps and [001] line defects on (110).

Intrinsic Defects at TiO2(110) Surfaces Studied with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy. Fischer, S., Munz, A.W., Schierbaum, K.D., Göpel, W.: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A, 1996, 14[2], 961-5