Unexpected behaviour of one Pb monolayer deposited on aluminum oxide thin film grown on Ag(111)

Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), Auger electron spectroscopy, and low energy electron diffraction, we have observed a surprising complete dissolution at room temperature of one lead monolayer deposited by evaporation on an aluminum oxide thin film (∼0.8 nm thick) previously grown on Ag (11...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2013-12, Vol.103 (26)
Main Authors: Vizzini, Sébastien, Oughaddou, Hamid, Hoarau, J. Y., Biberian, J. P., Bertoglio, M., Aufray, B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
Aluminum
Aluminum oxide
Applied physics
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
DEPOSITS
Diffusion layers
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
LEAD
Low energy electron diffraction
MATERIALS SCIENCE
Monolayers
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY
SILVER
SILVER OXIDES
Substrates
Superstructures
THIN FILMS
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Summary:Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), Auger electron spectroscopy, and low energy electron diffraction, we have observed a surprising complete dissolution at room temperature of one lead monolayer deposited by evaporation on an aluminum oxide thin film (∼0.8 nm thick) previously grown on Ag (111). We have observed the quasi-instantaneous diffusion of the lead deposit through the oxide layer to the silver/oxide interface. After the diffusion process, lead atoms form a Moiré superstructure, which is characterized by STM through the oxide layer. This unexpected behavior puts in light the very weak interaction between the aluminum oxide and the silver substrate.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.4855575