Microstructure of mica cleavage surfaces

Specially on muscovite from Ishikawa, Fukushima Prefecture

Abstract

Mica cleavage surfaces have been investigated by examining gold decoration replicas of them in an electron microscope. Mica cleavage surface is atomically flat in general and thereby condensed gold particles distribute at random. In some part of mica cleavage surface, the characteristic distribution of gold particles were observed, and could be divided into the following four types: (1) chains of gold particles, (2) banded areas where few particles adsorbed, (3) difference in density of particles, (4) pseudohexagonal arrangement of particles. They were discussed in terms of the steps, the strain field induced by dislocations, and K⁺ ion distribution on mica cleavage surface. Then the nucleation and growth of thin films would be effected by these surface factors.