Growth of nanosize Ni thin films on a modified c(2x2)-n Cu(100) surface

Growth of Ni on a c(2 x 2)-N Cu(100) surface was studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). When Ni atoms are vaporized on a Cu(100) surface with square c(2 x 2)-N patches, one-atomic-layer Ni islands with an average size of 50 Angstrom are grown on the virgin area remaining at the corner of c(2 x 2)-N patches, so that uniform size Ni islands are arranged like a checkerboard, This checkerboard arrangement of Ni islands is stable up to 470 K. Stronger interaction of the Ni layer with the dean area compared to the c(2 x 2)-N area brings about this unique growth of Ni islands on the c(2 x 2)-N Cu(100) surface.