AUGER-ELECTRON DIFFRACTION STUDY OF V FE(100) INTERFACE FORMATION/

Vanadium atoms present a magnetic moment different to zero when they a re part of a thin film deposited on Fe or as a bimetallic Fe-V alloy. The understanding of this phenomenon can only be achieved with a corre ct structural description of these types of systems. We report an Auge r electron diffraction investigation of V films grown on body cubic ce ntred (b.c.c.) Fe(100) substrates. Angular-scanned Auger electron diff raction (AED) patterns of V L23M23M4 (473 eV) and Fe L3VV (703 eV) sho w the formation of a well-ordered V/Fe interface even at room temperat ure. The AED patterns of V films in the range of vanadium submonolayer provide evidence of an isotropic Auger emission, indicating the absen ce oi interdiffusion of V atoms into the Fe substrate and absence of c luster growth of the V film. The annealing of these films up to 400 de grees C does not activate the substitution of the topmost Fe surface l ayers by V atoms. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.