XPS STUDY OF THE GROWTH AND REACTIVITY OF FE/MNO THIN-FILMS

The formation of the Fe/MnO interface in the initial stages of growth (1-9 Angstrom) of an iron film has been studied by XPS at room temperature. The plot of the Fe2p peak intensities as a function of the iron coverage is characteristic for a layer-by-layer growth, with a layer thickness of 2.7 Angstrom. The photoemission spectra suggest an initial oxidation of the deposited iron, followed by the growth of an upper metallic layer. Samples with different iron coverages have been exposed to oxygen: the systems at lower coverage undergo faster and more complete oxidation, while the sample at 9 Angstrom Fe coverage shows a behaviour similar to the one reported in the literature for bulk iron.