Structure and composition of cleaved and heat-treated tenfold surfaces of decagonal Al–Ni–Co quasicrystals

Abstract

We investigated cleavage surfaces perpendicular to the tenfold direction of as-grown decagonal Al–Ni–Co quasicrystals by scanning tunneling microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The cleavage surface is determined by a cluster–subcluster structure. The image contrast of the smallest features, 1–2 nm in diameter, is related to the columnar atom arrangements extending perpendicular to the cleavage plane, which are predicted by current models of the decagonal quasicrystal structure. No voltage dependence of the STM images is observed. The presence of surface states and an enhanced density of states are discussed. Heat-treatments of the cleaved Al–Ni–Co quasicrystal surfaces show nearly no changes in chemical composition and structure up to about 750 °C. This is correlated with a much lower concentration of vacancies in as-grown decagonal Al–Ni–Co quasicrystals as compared to that in as-grown icosahedral Al–Pd–Mn quasicrystals.