Abstract
The effects of annealing on the structure of ultra thin films deposited at on were studied by synchrotron radiation photoelectron diffraction (PED) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The occurrence of a surfactant-like stage, in which a single layer of covers the film is demonstrated for films of heated at . Evidence of a stage characterized by the formation of two capping layers is also reported. As the annealing temperature was increased beyond the surface layers closely resembled the structure of bare with the residual presence of subsurface aggregates. The data illustrate a film dissolution path which is in agreement with recent theoretical models [J. Roussel et al. Phys. Rev. B 60, 13890 (1999)].
- Received 31 December 2003
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.70.115420
©2004 American Physical Society