Generation of harmonics and chaos in the dynamics of anharmonic surfaces

Abstract

Effective equations of motion of a surface atom placed in an anharmonic surface potential are derived for three kinds of substrates (i) continuous dispersionless, (ii) discrete with nearest neighbours harmonic interactions, and (iii) a substrate showing a strong spatial dispersion. The resulting equations of motion are differential equations in the case (i) and Volterra Integro-Differential Equations (VIDE) in the cases (ii) and (iii). Examples of non-linear surface response to phonons coming from the bulk are given for the dispersionless substrate.

Keywords:

• Anharmonicity
• Harmonics
• Chaos
• Surface Dynamics
• Desorption