Oxidation and growth of Mg thin films on Ru(001)

• Published in: Surface science Vol. 436; no. 1; pp. 167 - 174
• Main Authors: Huang, H.H., Jiang, X., Siew, H.L., Chin, W.S., Sim, W.S., Xu, G.Q.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 10.08.1999; Amsterdam Elsevier Science; New York, NY
• Subjects: Adsorbed layers and thin films; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electron and ion emission by liquids and solids; impact phenomena; Exact sciences and technology; Low-index single crystal surfaces; Magnesium; Magnesium oxides; Materials science; Metallic films; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Oxidation; Photoemission and photoelectron spectra; Physics; Thermal desorption spectroscopy; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; Low-index single crystal surfaces; Ru; Thermal desorption spectroscopy; Magnesium oxides; Metallic films; Oxidation; Magnesium; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; Ultrathin films; Crystal growth; Atomic layer method; Inorganic compounds; Adsorption; Thermodesorption; Experimental study; X-ray photoelectron spectra
• ISSN: 0039-6028; 1879-2758
• DOI: 10.1016/S0039-6028(99)00660-3

The oxidation and growth of ultra-thin Mg films on a Ru(001) substrate have been studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) in the temperature range of 300–1500 K. Our results suggest that the growth of Mg thin films follows a layer-by-layer mode. Upon oxygen adsorption at 300 K, two O 1s peaks were detected on the Mg film. The peak at 532.2–532.6 eV could be attributed to either dioxygen or partially reduced species (O δ− , δ<2), whereas that at 530.1–530.6 eV is due to lattice oxygen in MgO. Annealing of the oxidized film to 800 K causes the conversion of the dioxygen or partially reduced species to the oxide state. Thermal desorption peaks of MgO were directly detected at 1000–1127 and 1350–1380 K, respectively. However, initial evaporation of Mg atoms onto an oxygen pre-adsorbed surface yields a fully oxidized MgO. Further Mg deposition results in the formation of a partially oxidized film with the observation of an O 1s peak at 532.2 eV.