GROWTH OF ORDERED THIN-FILMS OF NIO ON AG(100) AND AU(111)

We report on a new method to prepare ordered thin films of NiO(100) and NiO(111). By evaporating Ni from a Knudsen-type effusion cell at a rate of 0.3 monolayers/min in an O2 atmosphere of 10(-6) mbar onto non-reactive metal single-crystal surfaces as Ag(100) and Au(111), which match the lattice parameter of NiO rather closely (the theoretical misfit is in the order of 2%), we were able to produce flat and well-ordered NiO(100) and NiO(111) films, respectively. For data analysis we used low-energy electron diffraction, angle-resolved UV photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy.