Nucleation, growth and morphology of Co thin films on Ag(1 1 0)
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-15-2009
Abstract
Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) experiments reveal that Co growth on Ag(1 1 0), at coverages of Co < 1 ML and low substrate temperatures (∼150 K), involves a concomitant insertion of Co into the top Ag layer and exchange of Ag out onto the surface. At 300 K, coverages of Co > 1 ML gives rise to a 3D nanocluster growth on the surface, with the clusters covered by Ag. Depending slightly on coverage, the clusters have a typical diameter of ∼3 nm and a height of ∼0.4 nm. Upon annealing to ∼500 K, major changes are observed in the morphology of the surface. STM and AES show that there is a reduction of the number of Co islands on the surface, partly due to subsurface Co cluster migration and partly due to sintering into larger clusters. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Surface Science
First Page
2463
Last Page
2468
Recommended Citation
Senevirathne, I., Kizilkaya, O., Kurtz, R., & Sprunger, P. (2009). Nucleation, growth and morphology of Co thin films on Ag(1 1 0). Surface Science, 603 (16), 2463-2468. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susc.2009.05.025