Growth of Transition Metal Films on AL(110) Surfaces

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe growth of thin Pd, Ni, Fe and Ti films on 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 grows as an epitaxial overlayer, while the other metals mix with the substrate to form surface alloys. In the HEIS experiments the backscattered ion yield from Al surface atoms is measured as a function of metal coverage on the Al surface. A decrease in the Al scattering is observed for Ti deposition while the other metals result in increased Al scattering, attributed to alloy formation. An explanation for the exceptional growth behavior of Ti on Al is provided using a model of surface strain associated with aluminide formation.