Scanning tunnelling microscopy of (001) monocrystals was used to characterize dislocation configurations, which resulted mainly from nano-indentation of the surface by contact with a scanning tunnelling microscopy probe. The Burgers vectors and directions of the various extended dislocations were identified by comparing scanning tunnelling microscopy pictures with simulated images of the corresponding atomic configurations. A configuration was described which consisted of an unfaulted dislocation loop which had split into 2 pairs of Shockley partials; linked by a stair-rod segment that held the 2 stacking-fault ribbons. The separation between Shockley partials in the extended dislocations was greater than in the bulk.

STM Characterization of Extended Dislocation Configurations in Au (001) J.De la Figuera, M.A.González, R.García-Martínez, J.M.Rojo, O.S.Hernán, A.L.Vázquez de Parga, R.Miranda: Physical Review B, 1998, 58[3], 1169-72