Growth and structure of thin platinum films deposited on Co(0001) studied by low-energy electron diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy

The growth of platinum deposited on Co(0001) at room temperature in the ran ge of submonolayer coverage is described. The evolution of very thin Pt fil ms has been studied using low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), X-ray pho toelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and scannin g tunneling microscopy (STM). The LEED patterns suggested a coherent epitax ial growth mode for Pt on Co(0001). Evidence for an island growth mode has been confirmed by STM together with step decoration. However, the second an d third monolayers start growing before the completion of the first Pt laye r. The electronic structure of the Pt deposits exhibited original propertie s with low Fermi level density of states and valence-band broadening. This is in agreement with theoretical calculations presented in this work. (C) 2 000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.