J. Delafiguera et al., SURFACE ETCHING AND ENHANCED DIFFUSION DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF THEGROWTH OF CO ON CU(111), Surface science, 309, 1994, pp. 538-543
The deposition of Co on Cu(111) at room temperature gives rise to the
appearance of monoatomically-high, laterally extended holes, as well a
s room temperature motion of surface features, which is observed in re
al time by a scanning tunneling microscope. The holes are produced by
a spontaneous surface etching process related to the formation of a su
rface alloy which, in turn, produces an enhancement of the surface dif
fusion. As a result of these phenomena there is a noticeable and unexp
ected mass transport at the surface during growth. We illustrate how t
hese processes have an impact on the growth mode of Co on Cu(111).