Growth and melting behaviour of thin in films on Ge(100)

Abstract

Growth and melting behaviour of thin indium films on Ge(100) have been investigated by Auger-electron spectroscopy (AES), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and perturbed γγ angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy, respectively. At room temperature inidium is found to grow in three-dimensional islands even at submonolayer coverages. A very rough film surface is observed for thicknesses up to 230 ML. The melting behaviour of such films has been studied by PAC. A reduction of the melting temperature Tm as well as a strong supercooling of the films is observed. The electric field gradient for 111In(111Cd) in the indium islands is determined as a function of temperature and is used to monitor the local crystalline order of the films up to temperatures just below the melting point.