CRYSTALLOGRAPHY AND MORPHOLOGY OF THE EARLY STAGES OF THE GROWTH OF CO CU(111) BY LEED AND STM/

We report on a quantitative investigation of the structure and morphol ogy of ultrathin films of Co deposited on Cu(111) by an in situ combin ation of real space (STM) and diffraction (LEED) techniques. The film grows initially as bilayer islands with strict fee slacking. Part of t hem are covered by Cu. The lateral distribution of Co- and Cu-terminat ed domains as well as of uncovered patches is both quantitatively dete rmined by intensity analysis and visualized by STM images. Their simul taneous presence correlates nicely to known magnetic properties of ult rathin films, in particular with the observed magnetic anisotropy.