The mechanism of adatom surface migration on photo-irradiated (001) surfaces was studied in terms of quantum-chemical considerations. The results clearly showed that the surface migration of an adatom was enhanced in cases where the exposure of surfaces to light produced positive holes or electrons which were concentrated at the surfaces. That is, the activation energy for the migration of an adatom along a dimer row on the positively or negatively charged surface was smaller than that for an electrically neutral surface.

M.Hata, M.Tsuda, N.Fujii, S.Oikawa: Applied Surface Science, 1994, 79-80, 255-63