Room temperature growth of Fe on Cu(110)

The room temperature growth of Fe on the Cu(110) surface was studied with helium scattering, Auger electron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction. On the Cu(110) surface, iron grows in the form of three-dimensional islands. Segregation and intermixing are observed at temperatures above 490 K. Though these processes are observed in about the same temperature range, we did observe a much smaller rate for the diffusion of Fe into the bulk of the Cu crystal (intermixing) than for the segregation of Cu on the Fe film. The growth process can be described in terms of Stranski–Krastanov growth when, in addition, kinetic restrictions are assumed with respect to diffusion from the substrate to the iron film, and vice versa and with respect to coalescence of three-dimensional islands.