Structure of a single atomic layer of nickel deposited on the Pt(111) surface determined by low energy electron diffraction

The structure of ultrathin films of Ni deposited at room temperature on the Pt(111) surface has been determined by low energy electron diffraction (LEED) intensity analysis. The first monolayer of Ni grows pseudomorphically on Pt(111) despite the 11% mismatch between the lattice parameters of nickel and platinum. The results of the analysis also show that the Ni atoms occupy face-centered-cubic sites on the substrate surface. These results in part confirm previous data obtained by X-ray photoelectron diffraction, but also provide more reliable data on the site assignment.