Surface superstructures of the Pb/Ge(001) system

In the present work the Pb/Ge(001) system has been studied with LEED (low-energy electron diffraction), AES (Auger electron spectroscopy), and EELS (electron energy loss spectroscopy). A variety of surface superstructures, i.e. c(4 × 8), 5 × 1, “3 × 6”, 4 × 1 and probably c(4 × 2) were observed and their relations as well as the high- and room-temperature phase transformations have been schematically summarized in a figure. Some important clues of the structure of these superstructures have been found. Pb seems to be quite mobile at the Pb/Ge interfaces.