Epitaxy of Mn On Pd {001}

A new metastable body-centered tetragonal phase of Mn has been grown epitaxially at room temperature on Pd {001} up to thicknesses of 21 layers. Low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) intensity analysis has determined two important structural parameters: the bulk interlayer spacing and a 5%-larger first interlayer spacing. Assumption that the film is a cubic phase in plane strain leads to the conclusion that the phase is probably face-centered cubic with an equilibrium lattice parameter of 3.80Å, which is much larger than a theoretical non-magnetic equilibrium value and indicates that the phase probably is magnetic. © 1989.