Characterization by SFM of Co/Cu multilayers grown on an In buffer

An understanding of the microscopic details of growth processes is of key importance in materials science and technological applications. Experimentally, the most direct methods to study surface topography are real-space imaging techniques, such as, for example, scanning force microscopy. Co/Cu multilayers deposited on Si(1 0 0) precovered with various thicknesses of In buffer has been studied by scanning force microscopy. From the observed film morphologies we determined the evolution of a multilayer surface, indicating a complex growth process.