Oxidation effects on ultrathin Ni and Cr films grown on Fe(001): A combined scanning tunneling microscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy study

On the other hand, the oxidation of the Cr/Fe(001) follows a different path. At low oxygen exposure only the Cr film is oxidized, while upon increasing the oxygen dose Fe oxidation takes place. The morphology resulting from the oxidation of such a system is rough and successive thermal treatments do not result in surface ordering.