Work-function oscillations during the surfactant induced layer-by-layer growth of copper on oxygen precovered Ru(0001)

Abstract In the present work the Cu-film growth on a clean and an oxygen precovered Ru(0001) surface, as monitored with dynamical work function measurements (ΔΦ measurements) during the Cu evaporation using a special Kelvin-probe is compared. For Cu adsorption on the clean surface the observed temperature dependence of the ΔΦ measurements is understood in terms of a change of the growth structure of the Cu films from layer-by-layer growth up to ~ 3 ML at ~ 600 K to a 3D-growth mode at ~ 400 K. In turn, as recently reported, in the case of Cu adsorption on the oxygen-precovered surface at ~ 400 K remarkable ΔΦ oscillations are observed, which could be resolved over many periods clearly indicating a layer-wise growth of high quality at this temperature. Furthermore, in the present paper we report on new and detailed results about the dependence of the ΔΦ oscillations on the oxygen precoverage as well as the Cu deposition rate.