A PHOTOELECTRON DIFFRACTION STUDY OF THE STRUCTURE OF ULTRATHIN IRON FILMS ON CU(100)

Using photoelectron diffraction in the scanned energy mode we have inv estigated the structure of ultrathin iron films on Cu(110). Up to a co verage of at least five monolayer equivalents (5 MLE) the film grows p seudomorphically. A quantitative analysis of the diffraction data at 1 MLE shows that the film has an island structure. The islands which co nsist of at least two to three layers are characterised by a strong co ntraction of the outermost Fe-Fe interlayer spacing compared to the bu lk. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.