MICROSCOPIC ASPECTS OF THE FE BI2SR2CACU2O8 REACTIVE INTERFACE/

A morphological model of the Volmer-Weber type is developed for the re active interface formed between Fe and a Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 single-crystal surface which takes into account microscopic aspects of the growth suc h as clustering, metal oxidation via the superconductor substrate, and diffusion through the cluster of elemental species released in the me tal-surface redox reaction. The experimental findings of a local chemi cal analysis by core emission spectroscopy and an atomic-scale structu ral characterization by scanning tunneling microscopy are in good quan titative agreement with the proposed model indicating that the basic m icroscopic assumptions are correct.