Growth of Transition Metal Films on Al(110) Surfaces
Richard J. Smith, Adli A. Saleh, V. Shutthanandan, N.R. Shivaparan, and V. Krasemann
Physics Dept., Montana State University, Bozeman, MT*
The growth of thin Pd, Ni, Fe, and Ti films on Al(001) and Al(110)
surfaces has been studied using high-energy ion scattering (HEIS), x-
ray photoemission spectroscopy and photoelectron diffraction
techniques. Of these four metals, only Ti has been observed to grow
as an epitaxial overlayer while the other metals mix with the
substrate to form surface alloys at the interface. In the HEIS
experiments the Al surface peak (SP) area is measured as a function
of metal coverage on the Al surface. An initial decrease in the SP
area is observed for Ti on both Al surfaces. This decrease is
consistent with Ti atoms occupying fcc sites in an epitaxial overlayer.
The growth of fcc Ti continues up to a critical thickness of about five
monolayers (ML), after which point the Al SP area increases with Ti
coverage. Ti films with thicknesses of 3, 5, and 9 ML were grown
and then examined using x-ray photoelectron diffraction. The results
are consistent with the HEIS experiments, showing that Ti grows in
the fcc orientation of the Al substrate with a small (2.5%) tetragonal
distortion normal to the surface. Possible explanations for the
exceptional epitaxial growth behavior of Ti on Al will be discussed.
*Work supported by NSF Grant No. DMR-9409205.
Evolution of Epitaxial Structure and Morphology, ed. by Zangwill, Jesson, Chambliss, and Clarke, Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., 399, 135-140 (1996).
For information on this publication or to request a reprint send mail to smith@physics.montana.edu
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