Abstract
We have studied the growth of Rh on the Ag(100) surface using a variety of techniques: LEED, AES, TDS, XPS, UPS, ISS, and Δφ. When Rh is deposited at room temperature or below, the film is rather disordered. Annealing the film at temperatures of 400 K or above results in a Rh film covered by one to two layers of Ag atoms. This occurs for Rh films which are 1 to 20 atomic layers deep. Rh and Ag have very limited miscibilities at these temperatures, so each layer of the resultant AgRhAg sandwich is relatively pure. Such growth is unexpected in light of the three classical modes of growth. We explain this ‘sandwich’ formation in terms of the large differences in surface free energies of Rh and Ag, and the high mobility of Ag. Such growth may be expected in other systems of high surface-free-energy films atop low surface-free-energy substrates, such as FeAg.
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