Epitaxial growth of Fe on Mo(110) studied by scanning tunneling microscopy

Abstract

Scanning tunneling microscopy has been used to investigate the growth of Fe on Mo(110). Growth was carried out at room temperature with growth rates between 0.03 and 0.5 ML min −1. Initially, the first atomic layer is completed independently of the rate of evaporation. At low deposition rates the further growth proceeds in a multi-layer fashion whereas at higher rates the layer growth is partially preserved. Preferred growth along the [001] direction is observed in some cases. One-dimensional dislocation lines are observed in the second-layer islands. At higher coverage a two-dimensional dislocation network occurs which vanishes for thicker films. At a temperature of 600 K Fe on Mo(110) grows by a step flow mechanism in the first layer followed by the formation of wedge-shaped three-dimensional islands. A comparison with Fe grown on W(110) at a similar deposition rate is provided.