title: Quantum electronic stability of atomically uniform films.
abstract: We have studied the structural stability of thin silver films with thicknesses of N = 1 to 15 monolayers, deposited on an Fe(100) substrate. Photoemission spectroscopy results show that films of N = 1, 2, and 5 monolayer thicknesses are structurally stable for temperatures above 800 kelvin, whereas films of other thicknesses are unstable and bifurcate into a film with N +/- 1 monolayer thicknesses at temperatures around 400 kelvin. The results are in agreement with theoretical predictions that consider the electronic energy of the quantum well associated with a particular film thickness as a significant contribution to the film stability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1110 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801-3080, USA.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Luh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Paggel
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chiang