Growth and electronic properties of ultra-thin Ag films on Ni(1 1 1)

We studied the growth mode and electronic properties of ultra-thin silver films deposited on Ni(1 1 1) surface by means of scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). The formation of the 4d-quantum well states (QWS) was analysed within the phase accumulation model (PAM). The electronic structure of the 1 ML film is consistent with the silver layer which very weakly interacts with the supporting surface. The line-shape analysis of Ag-4d_xz,yz QWS spectrum support the notion of strong localization of these states within the silver layer. The asymmetry of the photoemission peaks implies that the decay of the photo-hole appears to be influenced by the dynamics of the electrons in the supporting surface.