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Mn films with a thickness of 2–15 monolayers (ML) have been deposited, in ultra-high vacuum, on a Ag(001) single crystal and analyzed by low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and X-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD). When a 12 ML film is deposited at room temperature (RT), a ∼3 ML-thick diffuse interface is formed, and Ag segregation occurs on top of an epitaxial body centered tetragonal (bct) Mn layer. If the same amount of Mn is deposited at 80 K in order to block interdiffusion, the film grows in a polycrystalline α-Mn phase. Annealing the sample at 300 K does not markedly change its structure. However, when a 3 ML template of Mn is first deposited on the substrate kept at 80 K, and then 9 ML at 300 K, the data show that the film is pseudomorphic and adopts an epitaxial bct phase, and that the system exhibits an abrupt interface.

The growth mode of Mn on Ag(100) in the monolayer range was studied using X-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD), angle-resolved valence band photoemission and low energy electron diffraction. Our results show that MnAg intermixing takes place. The thickness of the intermixed films depends critically on the growth temperature. At room temperature the XPD data clearly indicate that Mn is located in the first and second topmost atomic layers. The growth at higher temperatures, i.e. for 1 ML deposited at 460 K, or 1 ML deposited at RT and then annealed at 460 K, results in enhanced interdiffusion and Ag segregation.