A complete structure analysis has so far been carried out for relatively few surfaces, but a determination of just the two-dimensional periodicity provides very useful information about phenomena such as surface reconstruction, surface phase transitions, and surface adsorption and reactions.

At the present time low energy electron diffraction, LEED, is probably the most important experimental technique for the investigation of surface structures. LEED is primarily a research tool in fundamental studies since it requires ultra-high vacuum conditions and single-crystal samples. However, if these requirements are met, LEED has the potential of determining the positions of all the atoms in the topmost layers of the crystal. A complete structure analysis has so far been carried out for relatively few surfaces, but a determination of just the two-dimensional periodicity provides very useful information about phenomena such as surface reconstruction, surface phase transitions, and surface adsorption and reactions.

A complete structure analysis has so far been carried out for relatively few surfaces, but a determination of just the two-dimensional periodicity provides very useful information about phenomena such as surface reconstruction, surface phase transitions, and surface adsorption and reactions.

Plenary Lecture: LEED Studies of Surface Layers