Growth and oxidation of Cr films on the W(1 0 0) surface

The growth and oxidation of Cr films on the W(1 0 0) surface have been studied with low energy electron microscopy (LEEM) and diffraction (LEED). Cr grows in a Stranski-Krastanov (SK) mode above about 550 K and in a kinetically limited layer-by-layer mode at lower temperature. Stress relief in the highly strained pseudomorphic (ps) Cr film appears to be achieved by the formation of (4 × 4) periodic inclusions during the growth of the third layer between 575 and 630 K and by growth morphological instabilities of the third layer at higher temperature. Kinetic or stress-induced roughening is observed at lower temperature. In the SK regime, three-dimensional (3D) Cr islands nucleate after the growth of three Cr layers. 3D island nucleation triggers dewetting of one layer from the surrounding Cr film. Thus, two ps Cr layers are thermodynamically stable. However, one and two layer ps Cr films are unstable during oxidation. 3D clusters, that produce complex diffraction features and are believed to be Cr2O3, are formed during oxidation of one Cr layer at elevated temperature, T ⩾ 790 K. The single layer Cr film remains intact during oxidation at T ⩽ 630 K. 3D bulk Cr clusters are formed predominantly during oxidation of two ps Cr layers.