Characterization of epitaxial (111) MgO thin films

(111)-oriented MgO thin films were epitaxially grown on ultrahigh-vacuum-cleaved mica. The MgO films were characterized in situ by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), energy loss spectroscopy (ELS), and electron energy loss fine structure (EELFS). AES and ELS spectra are characteristic of bulk MgO, but Auger peak intensities indicate a magnesium enrichment of the MgO film surface. EELFS measurements on clean MgO and on MgO films covered with epitaxially deposited Pd clusters suggest that the (111) MgO polar surface is terminated by magnesium atoms. © 1990.