GROWTH MODES OF ULTRATHIN METAL-FILMS ON DISSIMILAR METAL SUBSTRATES

This paper outlines some of the outstanding problems associated with t he experimental determination of the growth modes of thin metal films on dissimilar metal substrates, and suggests approaches for overcoming them. Specifically, it discusses ways to differentiate between Strans ki-Krastanov and alloy growth, the quantitative fitting of ''Auger sig nal-time'' plots, and the determination of the stoichiometry of surfac e alloys. A comparison of the observed growth modes with those predict ed by the Macroscopic Atom Method shows that the results predicted by this method must be treated with extreme caution.