Site-exchange processes across an atomic Ag/Au interface

Abstract

The thermally activated intermixing between Ag submonolayer deposits and a complete Au monolayer supported on a Ru(001) substrate was studied using the PAX (photoemission of adsorbed xenon) technique. At 275 K 2D Ag islands exist on the Au monolayer. At 350 K Ag-Au atom exchange occurs only within the area of the previous Ag islands. Only at even higher temperatures a homogeneous AgAu alloy double layer is formed. This study may, of course, serve as model for other metal/metal combinations.