Surface segregation in Cu-Ni and Cu-Pt alloys; A comparison of low-energy ion-scattering results with theory

Under equilibrium conditions the surfaces of Cu-Ni and Cu-Pt alloys are enriched in Cu. Since low-energy ion scattering is only sensitive to the outermost atomic layer of the surface, it is the ideal technique to study surface segregation. The results are compared with zeroth-and first-order bond-breaking theories. The influences of parameters such as relaxation, crystal face, atomic size and double-layer formation are discussed.