Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
A surface phase transition associated with a surface miscibility gap has been observed on the (111) surface of Cu-Ag alloys both in computer simulations and in experimental measurements of surface composition. This transition is characterized by an abrupt change in surface composition associated with changes in either bulk composition or temperature.The simulations have revealed that the transition from a Cu-rich to a Ag-rich surface phase is accompanied by interesting changes in surface structure. The experiments show that the surface critical temperature lies somewhere between 505 and 560°C.