Co/Pt(110) interface: An x-ray-diffraction study

Abstract

Surface x-ray diffraction has been used to investigate the growth and structure of thin cobalt deposits on a Pt(110) substrate. The substrate exhibits the missing-row reconstruction, which has been checked and refined with crystallographic measurements. Co grows in the Stranski-Krastanov mode: an initial two-dimensional growth followed by three-dimensional crystallites. In the early growth stages, cobalt fills the missing-row sites and mixes with Pt. Subsequent growth results in the formation of long triangular prisms with the largest side in contact with the substrate. These crystallites have the fcc structure and their lateral faces are 111 planes.