Critical Exponents of a Four-State Potts Chemisorbed Overlayer: p(2x2) Oxygen on Ni(111)

Abstract

We report the first determination of critical exponents for a chemisorbed overlayer, using low-energy electron diffraction. We examine the order-disorder transition of p(2x2) oxygen on the (111) surface of nickel. This study is the first of critical behavior of a two-dimensional system in the four-state Potts universality class. Discussion of disparity between our results and predicted exponents considers several possibilities, including logarithmic corrections.