Trigonal images of transition metal atoms adsorbed on transition metal FCC(111) surfaces and their availability for scanning tunneling microscopy

We analyse the possibilities of using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) as a complementary tool to a field ion microscope (FIM) for obtaining trigonal images of individual transition metal atoms adsorbed on atomically flat (111) surfaces of FCC transition metals. A calculation of STM images shows appreciable trigonal shapes. This should stimulate relevant experimental studies. Orientation of the images with respect to substrate atoms has been studied as a function of the character of adsorbed species and interpreted in terms of the calculated local density of states.