Structure properties of nanostructured Fe films grown on c(2x2)N/Cu(100) self organised surface

The growth of Fe on the c(2x2)N/Cu(100) surface was studied with XAFS assisted by LEED. Previous STM work had shown that atomic N on Cu(100) forms periodic arrays of c(2x2) N islands with a size of about 5x5 nm channelling the growth of Fe onto the clean Cu areas. From XAFS multishell analysis we describe the growth in terms of fcc phase with strong lattice distortion, deviation from the layer by layer growth, and presence of surface complex phases, some with different geometry. The differences between the Fe growth on the clean and N saturated Cu(100) surface are explained in terms of Fe-N atoms interaction, and we could obtain the adsorption geometry of Fe on N-saturated surface.