EPITAXY AND ALLOYING AT THE CO-PT(111) INTERFACE - A STUDY BY X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON DIFFRACTION

Cobalt was deposited on the clean Pt(111) surface at room temperature by thermal evaporation. The overlayer growth mechanism and structure was examined by X-ray photoelectron diffraction, combined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and low energy He+ scattering. During the initial stages of growth cobalt forms a uniform layer of a single atomic layer thickness. Further growth results in the formation of an epitaxial fcc cobalt multilayer. Annealing at moderate temperature causes the formation of a fcc Co-Pt alloy of variable thickness.