M. Weinelt et al., Structure of ultrathin Fe films on Cu(100) prepared by pulsed laser deposition - art. no. 205413, PHYS REV B, 6320(20), 2001, pp. 5413
The structures of ultrathin Fe films on Cu(100) prepared by pulsed laser de
position (PLD) and conventional thermal deposition (TD) are compared by mea
ns of low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). Below 5 ML coverage, PLD film
s exhibit up to four times higher integer-order LEED spot intensities, i.e.
, improved film quality, and show small but significant structural changes
as compared to TD films. A quantitative tensor LEED analysis of the 4-ML PL
D film reveals a similar 5 X 1 superstructure to that found previously for
TD films, but with an enhanced surface buckling and a flat Cu bulklike iron
interface layer. The latter is attributed to the incorporation of Cu atoms
in the Fe interface caused by sputter effects in PLD. Above 6-ML coverage,
both deposition methods yield comparable LEED I(E) spectra, revealing simi
lar sum-face structures. The proposed structural models allow a consistent
interpretation of the strongly altered magnetic properties observed for PLD
-grown iron films.