Epitaxial growth of AgCl layers on the Ag(100) surface

Layers of silver chloride were formed by exposing the Ag(100) surface to gaseous chlorine at 250 K. The growth and structure of the AgCl layers have been characterized by XPD, LEIS and LEED. The formation of AgCl was monitored by looking at the line shape and position of the Ag M-4,M-5 VV transitions. The chlorination process was also followed by LEIS. The XPD data, collected keeping the sample at 150 K, indicate that AgCl layers ca. 20 Angstrom thick grow with the (111) plane parallel to the substrate surface but randomly oriented with respect to the Ag(100) surface. Instead, the XPD patterns show that thicker AgCl films grow epitaxially on Ag(100). (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.