Early stages in amorphous Zr65Al7.5Cu27.5 film growth on HOPG

Ultra thin Zr65Al7.5Cu27.5 metallic glass films, deposited by electron beam evaporation onto HOPG (highly oriented pyrolytic graphite), are investigated in situ with STM with regard to the beginning of amorphous film growth and to atomic structures visible by STM. Island growth with coalescence at 5.0 nm film thickness is observed, where surface diffusion is discussed to be a dominating mechanism in forming the morphology by the use of a statistical analysis. On top of the islands additional structures on an atomic scale can be resolved. (orig.)