Initial stages of AlF3 on Cu(100): STM and Monte Carlo Study.

J.C. MORENO; R.A. VIDAL; M.C.G. PASSEGGI (JR.); J.FERRÓN

PHYSICAL REVIEW B - CONDENSED MATTER AND MATERIALS PHYSICS

American Physical society

Lugar: Nueva York; Año: 2010 vol. 81 p. 754201 - 754207

0163-1829

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:ES; mso-fareast-language:ES;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> We present results about the early stages growth of an insulator-metal interface (AlF3 / Cu(100)) by means of scanning tunnelling microscopy. We report the growth  of aluminium fluoride films at room temperature, from sub-monolayer coverage up to 1.5 monolayers. Scanning tunnelling microscopy measurements reveal that aluminium fluoride islands undergo a shape transition, as they grow in size, from compact to fractal-like islands. These fractal-like islands cover the substrate with a single monolayer film up to depositions of 0.8 monolayers. Larger coverage results in the formation of three dimension islands.  Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations help us to understand some issues of the growth mechanism. High voltages (V > 2.5V) are needed to obtain STM images, showing the insulator characteristic of AlF3 island.