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Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Probing the Structure and Dynamics of Interfacial Water with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy
Published on: May 27, 2018
Low-energy electron induced restructuring of water monolayers on NaCl(100)
J P Toennies1, F Traeger, J Vogt
1Max-Planck-Institut für Strömungsforschung, Bunsenstrasse 10, D-37073 Göttingen, Germany.
Abstract:
The influence of electron irradiation on the controversially discussed monolayer structure of H(2)O on NaCl(100) is investigated with helium atom diffraction before and after a low-damage low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) experiment. The ordered (1x1) structure observed initially with He atoms is found to be transformed to a stable c(4x2) structure after a 90 eV electron dosage of only 10(15) electrons cm(-2) or about 2 incident electrons per adsorbate molecule. Based on previously reported structure models for the two phases, the transition is attributed to a reorientation, and a possible compression of the water film induced by the electrons.
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