本研究報告作者用場離子顯微鏡 (field ion microscopy)觀察銥之階狀表面和在階邊原子的動態行為，並作深入研究。具體研究內容包括：奈米級小原子島的穩定結構，突出原子誘發結構轉換，突出原子沿不同原子結構階邊的擴散運動，原子在階邊的上行和下行運動，階邊原子的脫離或散失，以及層中原子的上行運動等。並測量了在晶格階梯附近，各式各樣原子運行程序的活化位障高度為：銥突出原子沿 A- 型階邊的擴散運動 Ed,l,A =0.82±0.05eV，銥突出原子沿 B- 型階邊的擴散運動 Ed,l,B=0.76±0.05eV，銥原子在銥(001)表面作階邊下行運動Eb,Ir=0.72±0.08eV，銠原子在銥(001)表面作階邊下行運動Eb,Rh=0.84±0.08eV，銥(001)的階邊原子作上行運動Eac,001=1.04±0.12eV，銥(111)的階邊原子作上行運動 Eac,111=1.51±0.10eV，以及銥(111)的階邊原子作脫離運動Eβ=1.63±0.20eV。為了對以上結果的討論和比較的需要，作者也實驗測量了一些吸附原子在平台表面作擴散運動的參數為：銥原子在銥(001)表面作二維原子交換式擴散運動Ed,Tr=O.74±0.02eV，銠原子在銥(001)表面作二維跳躍式擴散運動Ed,Rh=0.80±0.08eV，銥原子在銥(311)表面作一維擴散運動 Ed,311=0.72±0.02eV，以及銥原子在銥(331)表面作一維擴散運動 Ed,331=0.91±0.03eV。由這些實驗結果，進而討論原子動態行為對薄膜磊晶成長模式的影響。
A field ion microscopy (FIM) study of the dynamic behavior of atoms, which are at step edges and on stepped surfaces of indium, is reported. Such as: stable structure of nanometer-size islands, structure transformation, diffusion of ledge atoms along step edges of different atomic structures, "descending" and "ascending" motions of atoms at step edges, detachment or dissociation of step-edge atoms, and the "upward" movement of in-layer atoms have been investigated. The activation barrier heights of various atomic processes at lattice steps have been derived. The activation barrier height for a ledge Ir atom diffusion along A-type step edges is measured to be Ed,l,A=O.824±0.05eV, whereas along B-type step edges is Ed,l,B=0.76±0.05eV. For an Ir adatom "descending" the step edges of Ir(OO1) surfaces is measured to be Eb,Ir=0.72±0.08eV, whereas for a Rh adatom is Eb,Rh=0.84±0.08eV. For edge atoms of Ir(OO1) surfaces "ascending" to the "upper" terrace is measured to be Eac,001=1.04±0.12eV, whereas for edge atoms of Ir(111) surfaces is Eac,111=1.51±O.1OeV. The dissociation barrier of Ir(111) is Eβ=1.63±0.20eV. I have also derived parameters of adatom diffusion on the terrace of the Ir(OO1), (311), and (331) surfaces to compare with those of "descending" barrier and ledge-atom diffusion along step edges of the Ir(111). Possible implications of the behavior of atoms at lattice steps in thin-film epitaxy are also discussed.