Co on Mo(110) studied by scanning tunneling microscopy

• We have studied the interface formation of thin films of Co on a Mo(1 1 0) surface by the use of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Below a coverage of about 0.4 monolayers (ML) we find that Co grows in small islands which are pesudomorphic with the Mo substrate. At a Cc coverage above 0.4 ML, the Co atoms condense into larger islands and forms a close-packed Co layer close to that of the Co(0 0 0 1) plane resulting in a coincidence structure with the underlying Mo(1 1 0) substrate. Increasing the Co coverage. we observe that the film grows in a layer-by-layer fashion up to 2 ML at room temperature, however by annealing such a film to 670 K the Co forms 3D islands. STM images displaying atomic resolution, reveal the atomic arrangement and corrugation of the close-packed Co film formed at Co coverages above 0.4 ML at room temperature. In particular, the STM data directly demonstrate the appearance of the coincidence lattice between the Nishiyama-Wasserman orientated Co film and the Mo(1 1 0) substrate. We show how this appearance may change due to subtle changes of the registry between the Co film and the Mo(1 1 0) surface. This behavior can be explained by partial dislocations relaxing the strained close-packed Co layer by a small rigid translation. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Atom- och molekylfysik och optik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

molybdenum

cobalt

Auger electron spectroscopy

scanning tunneling microscopy

low energy electron diffraction (LEED)

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