INITIAL GROWTH AND STRUCTURE OF MN ON AG(100) - FORMATION OF A SUPERFICIAL ALLOY

We have investigated the crystallographic structure of ultra-thin Mn f ilms deposited at room temperature on a clean Ag(100) single crystal, using angle-resolved ultra-violet photoemission, X-ray photoelectron d iffraction (XPD) and low-energy electron diffraction. The evolution of the Ag 4d valence band shows deviations from simple layer by layer gr owth. These results, combined with the XPD data, indicate that by simi lar to 1-1.5 monolayers of Mn a two layers thick Mn-rich epitaxial MnA g alloy is formed that continues the face centered cubic lattice of th e Ag substrate.