The Ge/Au interface investigated with photoemission at the Cooper minimum

The formation of the Au/Ge interface at room temperature is followed for increasing Au coverages and studied by energy dependent photoemission. The experimental EDC's are discussed and compared with density of states calculations for AuaGe. The evidence for Au 5d-Ge 4p mixed states indicates that the Au/Ge interface is similar to the near-noble metal germanides. A note on the photoemission branching ratio in semi-isolated Au and in thick Au layers is added.