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We demonstrate formation of thin AuSn and Au2Sn surface alloy layers at room and elevated substrate temperatures ( T S = 413–493 K), respectively by the deposition of Sn on Au(1 1 1) using core-level X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. Low energy electron diffraction patterns show different surface structures: p(3 × 3) R15 ° at room temperature for AuSn, 2 1 1 3 at T S = 413 K and ( 3 × 3 ) R30 ° at T S = 493 K for Au2Sn. Angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy reveals evolution of bands from an electron-like surface state to appearance of a hole-like band structure corresponding to AuSn and Au2Sn. The 2 1 1 3 phase of Au2Sn, which has a unit cell of oblique symmetry, exhibits an interesting linear band that meets at the Fermi level in the zone-center and have Fermi velocity comparable to graphene. Thus, our study establishes that Au-Sn bimetallic surface alloys have interesting electronic properties with potential for future applications.

Nano-structures comprising of a pit surrounded by a circular ridge that resemble nano-donuts have been observed on flat terraces of both Au(1 1 1) and Al(1 0 0) surfaces after low energy (1.5–2 keV) rare gas ( rg ) ion implantation. From time lapse scanning tunneling microscopy, we demonstrate that these donuts originate from the rg bubbles that migrate out from the sub-surface region. The circular shape of the donuts is observed for both Ar and Ne bubbles. The donuts and the related nano-structures represent different stages of large time scale co-operative relaxation of Au atoms by long range elastic interaction after the rg bubbles leave the metal.