Abstract
The network structure of a silica bilayer film at a monolayer-bilayer transition and across a supporting metal step edge was studied at the atomic scale by scanning tunneling microscopy. The ring size distribution, ring-ring distances, and height profiles are analyzed across the step edge region. Density functional theory proposes two models to explain the observed network structure: a pinning of the lower layer to the substrate and a carpetlike mode. The results indicate a continuous coverage of the silica bilayer film across the step edge.
Highlights
Thin oxide films are of high technological importance for electronics and catalysis [1,2]
The silica monolayer (ML) is chemically coupled to the metal substrate, while the silica bilayer (BL) exhibits a weak coupling to the metal substrate due to van der Waals bonding. 2D silica bilayer films can be crystalline or vitreous depending on the preparation conditions
We elucidate the atomic structure of a vitreous silica bilayer in the vicinity of a ML-BL transition and of a BL with an underlying substrate step edge
Summary
Thin oxide films are of high technological importance for electronics and catalysis [1,2]. We elucidate the atomic structure of a vitreous silica bilayer in the vicinity of a ML-BL transition and of a BL with an underlying substrate step edge. We present the continuous coverage of a vitreous silica bilayer system across a Ru(0001) step edge.
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