Step edge fluctuations on clean Ni(111) were investigated using low-energy electron microscopy. When interpreted as capillary waves the fluctuations yielded values of the surface mass diffusion coefficient at 1050 to 1340K. The deduced surface diffusion coefficient, described by:

D (cm2/s) = 1.0 x 10-4 exp[-0.65(eV)/kT]

was consistent with that on similar surfaces when scaled to homologous temperatures by the melting temperature Tm, in keeping with a recently suggested universality.

M.Ondrejcek, M.Rajappan, W.Swiech, C.P.Flynn: Physical Review B, 2006, 73[3], 035418