A misfit structure in the Co/Pt(111) system studied by scanning tunneling microscopy and embedded atom method calculations

E. Lundgren1, G. Leonardelli2, M. Schmid2 and P. Varga2

1 Present address: Department of Synchrotron Radiation Research, Institute of Physics, University of Lund, S-22100 Lund, Sweden
2 Institut für Allgemeine Physik, Technische Universität Wien, A-1040 Wien, Austria

Surf. Sci. 498 (2002) 257-265

We have performed scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) measurements of thin films of Co and CoPt alloys on Pt(111). In contrast to the interpretation of an earlier low energy electron diffraction investigation by Tsay and Shern [J.S. Tsay, C.S. Shern, Surf. Sci. 396 (1998) 313] we find that the structure observed upon annealing a Pt(111) sample with a Co film of 2 monolayer thickness does not consist of a rotated Co film but rather of a CoPt alloy film with hexagonal areas of fcc stacking, single and double tacking faults, delimited by misfit dislocations (Shockley partial dislocations). Comparison of STM images with embedded atom method (EAM) calculations confirms our model. The structure at the Pt-PtCo interface in our model is similar to that proposed by Henzler [M. Henzler, Surf. Sci. 419 (1999) 321].

Corresponding author: E. Lundgren. Reprints also available from M. Schmid (schmid< encoded email address >).

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