Surface diffusion of tungsten adatoms on several smooth, low-index planes of the tungsten lattice has for the first time been followed by direct observation of individual atoms in the field-ion microscope. Contrary to expectation, the mobility at room temperature is found to increase in the order (211) > (321) ∼ (110) > (310) ∼ (111). Migrating atoms are reflected at the boundaries of the (110), (211), and (321) planes; on the latter two, motion along atomic rows is favored over diffusion across lattice steps. From quantitative determinations of the rate of change of the mean-square displacement, diffusion coefficients are obtained as follows: (110), D=3×10−2exp(−22 000/RT)cm2/sec; (321), 1×10−3exp(−20 000/RT); (211), 2×10−7exp(−13 000/RT). Differences in diffusion on the (211) and (321), planes of very similar structure, suggest a weakening of interatomic forces at lattice edges.

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