SURFACE-STRUCTURE AND METAL EPITAXY - STM STUDIES OF ULTRATHIN METAL-FILMS ON AU(111) AND CU(100)

The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is an important tool for study ing the growth of ultrathin metal structures. The behavior of atoms ar riving at the surface determines nanometer-scale structure that is rea dily measured with the STM. These structural features are important in determining magnetic properties. The variety of structural possibilit ies is illustrated with the difference between substrate-controlled is land nucleation of Ni on Au(111) and diffusion-controlled aggregation of Ag on Au(111). The STM also provides a fairly complete picture of t he intermixing that occurs in the early stages of room-temperature gro wth of Fe on Cu(100).