Author: H.R. Sharma, M. Shimoda, V. Fournée, A.R. Ross, T.A. Lograsso, A.P. Tsai
Institute: SORST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Japan
National Institute of Materials Science, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047, Japan
LSG2M, CNRS-UMR7584, School of Mines, Parc de Sorupt, 54042 Nancy, France
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ames Laboratory, Iowa 50011, USA
Institute for Advanced Materials Interdisciplinary Research, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan
The first steps in growing thin Cu films on the five-fold surface of the icosahedral Al–Cu–Fe quasicrystal represent an important stage in the study of the unique properties of quasicrystalline materials. These surfaces, with a high degree of order and symmetry, create favorable conditions for the formation of high-quality metal films. During the experiments, growth parameters such as substrate temperature and deposition rate were optimized, which made it possible to obtain thin Cu films with a uniform structure and minimal defects.
The growth of Cu on a five-layer Al–Cu–Fe icosahedral surface is studied using scanning tunneling microscopy. On the bare substrate, atomically equal terraces are observed, separated by stepped protrusions of different heights, which often show a tendency to group. When applied as a near-monolayer coating, Cu forms a nearly closed film with a height corresponding to one Cu layer, although it does not exhibit long-range order.
Quasicrystals are intermetallic compounds with specific stoichiometry, often exhibiting forbidden symmetries and unique physical properties. Many aluminum quasicrystals contain active metals such as Ni, Pd, Fe, and Cu. Studies of the catalytic activity of quasicrystals have revealed their potential in this direction.
The proposed method for understanding their catalytic properties involves the creation of model systems with metal nanoparticles on the surface of quasicrystals and their further experimentation. This opens up new horizons in the study of the processes of metal particle formation and their influence on catalytic reactions.