Growth of Fe ultrathin films on Ni(111): structure and electronic properties

We investigated the evolution during film growth of the electronic properties of Fe/Ni(111) ultrathin films with electron energy loss spectroscopy from the valence band and from the Fe L-2,L-3 ionization edges, relating them with structural modifications monitored with low energy electron diffraction. At ca. 4 monolayers of Fe a fee to bce phase transition was observed with the major changes in the electronic structure occurring in the 3d band region. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.