Atomic and electronic structure of thin films of Mn on Pd{111}

Epitaxial films of Mn can be grown on Pd{111} to thicknesses of the order of 15–20 layers. Vacuum deposition on a room-temperature substrate produces a threefold-symmetric 1×1 phase with in-plane lattice constant a=2.75 Å (pseudomorphic to Pd{111}) and bulk interlayer spacing ${\mathit{d}}_{\mathrm{bulk}}$=2.16 Å. This structure probably corresponds to strained magnetic γ-Mn. Vacuum deposition on a 150 °C substrate produces a sixfold-symmetric √3 × √3 -30 ° structure, which is probably a bulk phase with in-plane lattice constant a=4.76 Å. The atomic structure of this phase is unknown, but may be related to α-Mn.