Structural modifications upon deposition of Fe on the icosahedral quasicrystal Al-Pd-Mn

We have deposited Fe on a clean pentagonal surface of an Al-Pd-Mn quasicrystal kept at similar to 340 K. For low coverages, Fe diffuses into the bulk and destroys the quasicrystalline atomic order. At coverages higher than similar to 0.8 nm, some Al is present in the film, which shows magnetic ordering. This is characteristic of only AlFe3 or Fe diluted with Al. This surface consists of five cubic domains in rotational alignment with the quasicrystalline substrate. For a film more than similar to 1.6 nm thick, the Fe domains additionally show a tilting of 0.5 degrees each. Removal of Fe by ion sputtering leaves the surface structure strongly modified due to depletion of Al as a result of alloying with Fe. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.