Abstract
The atomic structure and morphology of ultrathin Pb layers deposited on the Ni3Al(111) face in ultrahigh vacuum at the substrate temperature, ranging from 200K to 950K, were investigated with the use of Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and directional elastic peak electron spectroscopy (DEPES). The analysis of AES measurements indicates that two-dimensional growth of the first Pb monolayer ‘wetting layer’ takes place for substrate temperature 200K≤T≤650K. For T=200K, lead on the Ni3Al(111) grows layer-by-layer, while for T=300K flat three atomic-layer-high islands seem to grow after the completion of the first lead monolayer. Above 350K, the Stranski–Krastanov growth mode is observed. The ordered LEED patterns corresponding to p(4×4) and p(√3×√3)R30° structures are observed. AES and LEED data indicate that lead atoms and the Ni3Al(111) face form a Pb-Ni3Al(111) surface alloy. The DEPES results show that the stacking fault abcabcBACBAC or abcabcACBACB is formed in the Ni3Al(111)–Pb interface region.
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