Observation of a Metastable Periodic Structure for the (001) Surface of KTaO{sub 3} after Cleaving In Situ

Helium atom diffraction experiments carried out under ultrahigh vacuum conditions on a freshly cleaved (001) surface of KTaO{sub 3} reveal metastable features which decay over a period of several hours. The initial He diffraction pattern contains large scattering intensity satellite peaks very close to the specular reflection beam. As time from cleaving elapses, the satellite intensities diminish virtually to zero while the specular intensity increases, and the diffraction pattern evolves into one consistent with the (1x1) bulk termination surface. The data are compared with model calculations for scattering from a series of terraces at two heights with a distribution of terrace lengths [Surf.Sci. 384, 15 (1997)].