Surface diffusion occurs via various mechanisms, including:
1. Adatom Diffusion: Individual atoms, known as adatoms, hop from one site to another on the surface. 2. Vacancy Diffusion: Atoms move into vacant lattice sites, effectively causing the vacancies to move. 3. Exchange Mechanism: Atoms exchange positions with neighboring atoms.
The rate of surface diffusion is influenced by factors such as temperature, surface structure, and the presence of defects or impurities.
