A study was made of the energetics and stability of small Cu clusters on (100) surfaces by using molecular statics, combined with systematic saddle-point search methods. Several previously overlooked concerted many-particle processes were found which played an important role in cluster energetics. These included internal dimer rotation and internal row shearing. This implied that the center-of-mass motion of clusters of up to 10 or more in size could be activated more easily than had previously been assumed. It was concluded that the results had important implications for the mobility of small clusters, and for metal-on-metal growth.

Energetics and Many-Particle Mechanisms of Two-Dimensional Cluster Diffusion on Cu(100) Surfaces. O.S.Trushin, P.Salo, T.Ala-Nissila: Physical Review B, 2000, 62[3], 1611-4