Copper adsorption on the fivefold Al70Pd21Mn9 quasicrystal surface

Recently we reported the formation of a quasiperiodic Cu thin film on the fivefold icosahedral Al-Pd-Mn quasicrystal using scanning tunneling microscopy, low energy electron diffraction, and Auger electron spectroscopy. Here we provide details pertaining to the growth, stability, and structure of this film. Structural information has been gained by LEED measurements carried out at 85 K. Cu atoms are organized periodically with a nearest-neighbor distance of 2.5±0.1 Å along the aperiodically spaced rows. Above 8 ML spontaneous mass transport resulting in island formation has been observed by STM. These observations point to ascending adatoms being responsible for the formation of 3D features. Finally, flashing the multilayer film to 570 K results in the desorption or diffusion of Cu into the bulk and the formation of five domains of a periodic structure. Disciplines Condensed Matter Physics | Metallurgy Comments This article is from Physical Review B 72 (2005): 035420, doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.72.035420. Authors J. Ledieu, J. T. Hoeft, D. E. Reid, J. A. Smerdon, R. D. Diehl, N. Ferralis, Thomas A. Lograsso, A. R. Ross, and R. McGrath This article is available at Iowa State University Digital Repository: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ameslab_pubs/96 Copper adsorption on the fivefold Al70Pd21Mn9 quasicrystal surface J. Ledieu,* J. T. Hoeft, D. E. Reid, and J. A. Smerdon Surface Science Research Centre and Department of Physics, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, United Kingdom R. D. Diehl and N. Ferralis Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA T. A. Lograsso and A. R. Ross Ames Laboratory, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA R. McGrath Surface Science Research Centre and Department of Physics, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, United Kingdom Received 2 August 2004; revised manuscript received 13 May 2005; published 8 July 2005 Recently we reported the formation of a quasiperiodic Cu thin film on the fivefold icosahedral Al-Pd-Mn quasicrystal using scanning tunneling microscopy, low energy electron diffraction, and Auger electron spectroscopy. Here we provide details pertaining to the growth, stability, and structure of this film. Structural information has been gained by LEED measurements carried out at 85 K. Cu atoms are organized periodically with a nearest-neighbor distance of 2.5±0.1 Å along the aperiodically spaced rows. Above 8 ML spontaneous mass transport resulting in island formation has been observed by STM. These observations point to ascending adatoms being responsible for the formation of 3D features. Finally, flashing the multilayer film to 570 K results in the desorption or diffusion of Cu into the bulk and the formation of five domains of a periodic