Mg deposition on Ag(1 0 0): temperature evolution of the structural and electronic properties

Structural and electronic properties of ultrathin Mg films on Ag(1 0 0) have been investigated by means of metastable de-excitation spectroscopy (MDS), work function change (Δφ), electron diffraction and helium reflectivity (RHe) measurements. At room temperature Mg grows on Ag(1 0 0) following the Stranski–Krastanov growth mode. Successive annealing of a 10 ML thick Mg film leads to its almost complete desorption at about 390 K and to the formation of a Mg–Ag alloy. RHe and electron diffraction measurements indicate that for annealing temperatures between 480 and 570 K, the alloy orders with a c(2×2) periodicity. Further annealing at higher temperatures restores the initial Ag(1 0 0) surface.