Morphology and magnetic properties of thin films of Rh on highly oriented pyrolitic graphite

The structure and magnetic properties of ultrathin Rh layers deposited on highly oriented pyrolitic graphite (HOPG) have been investigated by means of core-level photoemission and scanning tunneling microscopy. The Rh growth on HOPG follows the Volmer-Weber mode at 300 K for any coverage, while Rh may form a commensurate p(1X1) ordered structure when deposited at 150 K for a coverage up to one monolayer. For submonolayer or monolayer Rh films on HOPG the linear magnetic dichroism in the angle distribution of photoelectrons shows no evidence of in-plane long-range magnetic ordering.