Abstract
Epitaxial ultra-thin Ag films grown on Cu(111) have been investigated by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The thickness dependence of the binding energy for the Shockley surface state at 300 K could be determined accurately in films up to 5 ML thick. Furthermore, we observe drastic changes in the film morphology after annealing to 450 K. Spectral modifications in the shape of the quantum-well states (QWS), characteristic for these ultra-thin silver films, prove that the surface morphology is homogeneous. The photoemission spectra also indicate that the silver film bifurcates to form a film exhibiting two distinct film thicknesses. For all levels of silver coverage, we identify surface regions that are 2 ML thick, while the thickness of the remaining surface depends on the amount of deposited silver. The almost purely Lorentzian line-shape of the spectral features corresponding to the two different surface regions show that both surface areas are atomically flat.
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68.55.Jk; 73.20.At; 73.21.Fg; 79.60.Dp
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Mathias, S., Wessendorf, M., Passlack, S. et al. Morphological modifications of Ag/Cu(111) probed by photoemission spectroscopy of quantum well states and the Shockley surface state. Appl. Phys. A 82, 439–445 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-005-3369-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-005-3369-z