Influence of strain in Ag on Al(111) and Al on Ag(100) thin film growth

We demonstrate the influence of interfacial strain on the growth modes of Ag films on Al(111), despite the small magnitude of the lattice misfit in this system. The strain is relieved by the formation of stacking fault domains bounded by Shockley partial dislocations. The growth mode and the step roughness appear to be strongly connected. Growth is three-dimensional (3D) as long as the steps are straight, but switches to 2D at higher coverage when the steps become rough. Anisotropic strain relaxation and straight steps seem to be related. We also report related observations for Al deposited on Ag(100)

Orientation relationship between metallic thin films and quasicrystalline substrates.

We present experimental results on the structure of Ag thin films grown on high-symmetry surfaces of both quasicrystals and approximants. For coverages above ten monolayers, Ag form fcc nanocrystals with (111) plane parallel to the surface plane. Depending on the substrate surface symmetry, the Ag nanocrystals exist in one, two or five different orientations, rotated by a multiple of 2π/30. The orientation relationship between crystalline films and substrates appears to be determined by the following principles: high atomic density rows of the adsorbate are aligned along high atomic density rows of the substrate

Structure and Growth of Height-Selected Ag Islands on Fivefold i-AlPdMn Quasicrystalline Surfaces: STM Analysis and Step Dynamics Modeling

The development and local structure of height-selected 3-layer Ag islands on fivefold surfaces of icosahedral Al-Pd-Mn quasicrystals is characterized by STM for Ag deposition at 365 K. Heterogeneous nucleation of pseudomorphic single layer high islands is followed by rapid formation of 2nd and 3rd layers and subsequent lateral spreading, where each of these 3 layers consists of a family of nonfcc structures. The behavior is elucidated by step dynamics modeling incorporating strain buildup for larger islands, enhanced binding in higher layers, and height selection due to quantum size effects

STM study of the atomic structure of the icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe fivefold surface

We use scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to investigate the atomic structure of the icosahedral (i-) Al-Cu-Fe fivefold surface in ultra high vacuum (UHV). Studies show that large, atomically flat terraces feature many ten-petal “flowers” with internal structure. The observed flower patterns can be associated with features on Al rich dense atomic planes generated from two-dimensional cuts of bulk models based on x-ray and neutron diffraction experiments. The results confirm that the fivefold surface of i-Al-Cu-Fe corresponds to a bulk-terminated plane

Nanodomains due to Phason Defects at a Quasicrystal Surface

Among the three coexisting types of terraces found on the twofold surface of the d-Al-Cu-Co quasicrystal, nanodomains are essentially observed on the transition-metal rich ones, with a coherent interface boundary. Both clean surface and Ag growth analyses, demonstrate that nanodomain surfaces are structurally identical to one of the two other terraces, which contains 85 at. % Al. We provide evidence that the nanodomains are a manifestation of phason defects that extend downward toward the bulk, and state that nanodomains develop because the energetic cost of creating the phason is outweighed by the change in surface energy. Consequently, the formation of nanodomains involves more than just the surface layer, but is driven by surface energetics

The effect of common gases on nucleation of metal islands: The role of oxygen in Ag(100) homoepitaxy

Preexposure to molecular oxygen gas, O2,g , can have a strong effect on the nucleation and growth of Ag islands on Ag(100) at 250 K. At this temperature, molecular oxygen dissociates efficiently at kink sites on steps. Subsequent deposition of Ag produces a far lower density of Agad islands than without oxygen. There is an associated increase in the Ag flux-scaling exponent, from 0.28 for the oxygen-free surface to 0.9 for the preexposed surface. Two-step deposition experiments show that species containing atomic oxygen diffuse freely across terraces and steps at this temperature and on the time scale of deposition.We hypothesize that the nucleating species contains both Ag and O, and that nucleation of islands is highly reversible ~critical size i\u3e\u3e1). The diffusion of small islands, if it occurs, is not sufficient to explain the data

Structure of the Fivefold Surface of the Icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe Quasicrystal: Experimental Evidence of Bulk Truncations at Larger Interlayer Spacings

Based on scanning tunneling microscopy of the fivefold surface of the icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe quasicrystal and the refined structure model of the isostructural i-Al-Pd-Mn, we present evidence that the surface corresponds to bulk truncations at the positions where blocks of atomic layers are separated by larger interlayer spacings (gaps). Both step-height distribution and high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy images on terraces reveal bulk truncations at larger gaps

Growth of Bi thin films on quasicrystal surfaces

We present a comprehensive study of Bi thin-film growth on quasicrystal surfaces. The substrates used for the growth are the fivefold surface of icosahedral (i)-Al-Cu-Fe and i-Al-Pd-Mn and the tenfold surface of decagonal (d)-Al-Ni-Co quasicrystals. The growth is investigated at 300 and 525 K substrate temperatures and at different coverage (θ) ranging from submonolayer to ten monolayers. The film is characterized by scanning tunneling microscopy, reflection high-energy electron diffraction, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. At 300 K, the deposited Bi yields a quasicrystalline film for θ≤1. For 1\u3cθ\u3c5, it forms nanocrystallites with (100) surface orientation. The islands have magic heights, which correspond to the stacking of four atomic layers (predominantly). The selection of magic heights is interpreted in terms of quantum size effects arising from the electron confinement within the film thickness. The islands establish rotational epitaxial relationship with the substrate. For higher coverage, the film grows with monatomic height, not with magic heights, and reflects the symmetry of the bulk Bi. When deposition is performed at 525 K, terrace diffusion is more effective, resulting in the aggregation of Bi adatoms developing into a smooth monolayer with quasiperiodic order. At this temperature, multilayers do not adsorb

Development and ordering of mounds during metal(100) homoepitaxy

Scanning-tunneling microscopy studies combined with atomistic modeling for Ag/Ag(100) homoepitaxy reveal complex growth behavior at 300 K: initial smooth growth up to ∼25 ML, where three-dimensional (3D) mounds develop from 2D islands; then an extended regime of mound steepening for ∼1000 ML producing unexpected rough growth; and finally an asymptotic regime with cooperative mound ordering and coalescence dynamics quite distinct from that in systems with up-down symmetry. The steepening regime is compressed upon lowering temperature, so while initial growth is rougher, asymptotic growth is actually smoother

Self-assembly, structure and electronic properties of a quasiperiodic lead monolayer

A quasiperiodic Pb monolayer has been formed on the five-fold surface of the Al-Pd-Mn quasicrystal. Growth of the monolayer proceeds via self-assembly of an interconnected network of pentagonal Pb stars, which are shown to be tau-inflated compared to similar structural elements of the quasiperiodic substrate. Measurements of the electronic structure of the system using scanning tunnelling spectroscopy and ultra-violet photoemission spectroscopy reveal that the Pb monolayer displays a pseudo-gap at the Fermi level which is directly related to its quasiperiodic structure.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure