Epitaxial growth of body-centered-cubic nickel on iron

• Published in: Solid state communications 1987-03, Vol.61 (10), p.623-626
• Main Authors: Wang, Z.Q., Li, Y.S., Jona, F., Marcus, P.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Metals, semimetals and alloys; Methods of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth; Physics; Specific materials; Theory and models of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth, crystal morphology and orientation
• ISSN: 0038-1098; 1879-2766
• DOI: 10.1016/0038-1098(87)90374-7

Studies by low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and Auger electron spectroscopy of nickel films grown in ultra-high vacuum onto a clean Fe{001} surface show that the films have the body-centered cubic structure with the same lattice constant and the same multilayer relaxation as the clean substrate, as long as they are thinner than about 6 layers. LEED intensity analyses show that the multilayer relaxation of both clean Fe{001} and 3-layer thick Ni films involves 5% contraction of the first and 5% expansion of the second interlayer spacing. These new values of the multilayer relaxation of clean Fe{001} represent an improvement over previous determinations. Thicker Ni films, up to 100 layers, have a complicated structure that is neither b.c.c. nor f.c.c. Short anneals at temperatures between 200 and 650°C cause rapid diffusion of Ni into the Fe substrate with little evidence for formation of the stable f.c.c. phase of Ni.