  Theoretical predictions of coupled step motion are tested by direct STM
measurement of the fluctuations of near-neighbor pairs of steps on
Si(111)-root3 x root3 R30 - Al at 970K. The average magnitude of the
pair-correlation function is within one standard deviation of zero, consistent
with uncorrelated near-neighbor step fluctuations. The time dependence of the
pair-correlation function shows no statistically significant agreement with the
predicted t^1/2 growth of pair correlations via rate-limiting atomic diffusion
between adjacent steps. The physical considerations governing uncorrelated step
fluctuations occurring via random attachment/detachment events at the step edge
are discussed.
