Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy of Ni/W(110): bcc and fcc properties in the second atomic layer

TL;DR

This study uses scanning tunneling spectroscopy to analyze nickel islands on tungsten, revealing coexistence of bcc and fcc phases in the second atomic layer through spectroscopic and theoretical methods.

Contribution

It demonstrates the presence of both bcc and fcc structural phases in the second layer of Ni on W(110), combining experimental spectroscopy with band structure calculations.

Findings

Distinct spectral features correspond to bcc and fcc Ni phases.

Nanometer scale areas show different apparent heights and spectra.

The coexistence of phases is supported by theoretical calculations.

Abstract

Nickel islands are grown on W(110) at elevated temperatures. Islands with a thickness of two layers are investigated with scanning tunneling microscopy. Spectroscopic measurements reveal that nanometer sized areas of the islands exhibit distinctly different apparent heights and dI/dV spectra. Spin polarized and paramagnetic band structure calculations indicate that the spectral features are due to fcc(111) and bcc(110) orientations of the Ni film, respectively.