Morphology of fcc Co(110) films on Cu(110)

The surface morphology of fcc Co(110) films deposited on Cu(110) using oxygen as a surfactant is characterized by He atom scattering. Interference measurements reveal that the thicker Co films are quite flat and that this flatness is preserved after removal of the oxygen with atomic hydrogen. During growth of the first few layers a rough film morphology is observed which is related to the deconstruction of the Cu(110)-(2x1)O interface and the formation of a (1x2) reconstructed Co-Cu-O phase after deposition of the first Co monolayer. With increasing film thickness the measured step height changes from (1.28 plus/minus 0.02)A characteristic of the Cu(110) surface to (1.21 plus/minus 0.02)A attributed to the interlayer spacing of pseudomorphic fcc Co(110).