Surface morphology and chemical ordering in FePd/Pd(001) thin layers

The FePd alloy exhibits an L1(0) (CuAu-I type) chemically ordered phase whi ch can be grown by molecular beam epitaxy at a low temperature (620 K) on P d(0 0 1). The surface of the alloy has been observed by scanning tunnelling microscopy to determine the link between the surface morphology and the un derlying chemical order. Steps are commonly observed with a bi-atomic heigh t as a result of the surface processes leading to the chemical ordering. Mo noatomic steps are also observed and there is some evidence that they are l inked to the antiphase boundaries between ordered domains within the growin g layer. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.