Quasicrystalline Antimony Thin Films

Abstract

AbstractThe growth of antimony (Sb) thin films on the fivefold surface of icosahedral Ag−In−Yb quasicrystal has been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). At low coverage, the deposited Sb yields a network of pentagons of different sizes and heights. These Sb pentagons can be mapped by a pentagonal tiling of the substrate and thus exhibit quasicrystalline long‐range order. Subsequent deposition of Sb yields a disordered film. XPS observations of the growth mode are consistent with the STM results.