| In order to achieve control of nanostructure formation, it is critical to gain a comprehensive understanding of the complex underlying physics. The development of ideas and techniques that permit the bridging of length scales between atomic- and meso-scale kinetics is becoming increasingly more important as nanostructure fabrication moves to smaller and smaller feature sizes. One approach to characterizing surface kinetics over multiple length scales is to combine microscopic techniques with the appropriate spatial resolutions. The atom-tracking scanning tunneling microscope (STM) probes the kinetics and energetics of individual atoms, i.e., the processes by which atoms move, activation energies for diffusion, and relative binding energies of various configurations. On the other hand, the low-energy electron microscope (LEEM) can be used to view dynamic processes such as self-assembly and the growth or decay of surface structures at length scales from tens to hundreds of nanometers. The fundamental atomic-scale processes directly affect meso-scale observations. For example, 2-D self-assembled domain patterns promise new opportunities for patterning at dimensions smaller than those in current technologies. To achieve control of these patterns and feature sizes, it is necessary to understand how the mass transport properties of individual atoms influence and control collective surface phenomenon. By using the STM in concert with the LEEM, I detail atomic-scale kinetics and energetics on Cu surfaces, which in turn facilitates direct and intuitive connections with mesoscopic measurements. |
