2.3.2.1.5 Halides

This chapter lists experimentally observed stability of different orientations of halides such as potassium chloride (KCl) and sodium chloride (NaCl). The topography of step structures depends strongly on preparation. The preparations include cleaved under vacuum, evaporation, polishing, annealing in air and/or vacuum. The TEM graphical representation includes (i) cleaved (100) KCl showing evaporation spirals decorated by gold and palladium, (ii) atomic steps on NaCl (001) cleaved in air rounded by solvation in atmospheric water and regrowth, (iii) atomic steps on NaCl(001), cleaved under vacuum, “elementary cleavage structure”.