Initial growth and structure of Mn on Ag(100): Formation of a superficial alloy

• Published in: Solid state communications Vol. 97; no. 9; pp. 757 - 761
• Main Authors: Schieffer, P., Krembel, C., Hanf, M.C., Bolmont, D., Gewinner, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.03.1996; Elsevier
• Subjects: A. metals; A. surfaces and interfaces; A. thin films; Composition and phase identification; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; E. photoelectron spectroscopies; Exact sciences and technology; Physics; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; E. photoelectron spectroscopies; A. surfaces and interfaces; A. metals; A. thin films; Epitaxial layers; Electron diffraction; Surfaces; Experimental study; Photoelectron spectroscopy; Deposition process; Characterization; Thin films; Interfaces; Monolayers; Growth mechanism; Manganese; Crystal structure
• ISSN: 0038-1098; 1879-2766
• DOI: 10.1016/0038-1098(95)00756-3

We have investigated the crystallographic structure of ultra-thin Mn films deposited at room temperature on a clean Ag(100) single crystal, using angle-resolved ultra-violet photoemission, X-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD) and low-energy electron diffraction. The evolution of the Ag 4d valence band shows deviations from simple layer by layer growth. These results, combined with the XPD data, indicate that by ∼1–1.5 monolayers of Mn a two layers thick Mn-rich epitaxial MnAg alloy is formed that continues the face centered cubic lattice of the Ag substrate.