Nucleation and Crystal Growth of Cu on Ir Tips Under Ultra-High Vacuum and in the Presence of Oxygen

Abstract

Results concerning the morphology of Cu adsorption layers deposited from vapor under ultra-high vacuum on Ir tip and the influence of oxygen on this morphology are reported. The method employed was field electron emission microscopy. It was found that the presence of oxygen decreases the copper wettability of iridium. Preadsorption of oxygen on the Ir surface is followed by an increase in cohesion interaction between atoms of the Cu deposited onto the tip at room temperature. Coadsorption of Cu and O on the Ir tip surface at liquid nitrogen temperature, when followed by gradually heating the adlayer, results in crystallization of the deposit in the temperature range from 430 K to about 700 K. Some evidence indicates the formation of Cu2O with a high degree of crystallinity under these conditions. Cu and O coadsorption on the Ir surface at a temperature higher than 1090 K leads to selective accumulation of Cu on the {111} faces and to formation of epitaxial crystals which are oriented to the substrate in the same manner as the Cu crystals grown at ultrahigh vacuum from Cu flux containing no oxygen. Oxygen incorporated into the Cu beam interact preferentially with {011} and {001} Ir faces, where it can produce oxide layers.