Formation of Al₄Cu₉ on the 5 fold Surface of Icosahedral AlPdMn

Abstract

The authors report about the formation of Al 4 Cu 9 from a thin Cu film evaporated on the five‐fold surface of icosahedral AlPdMn. By heating up to 350°C Al diffuses from the quasicrystal into the Cu film forming well crystalline Al 4 Cu 9 present in 5 domains rotated by 72° with respect to each other and exposed in the (110) surface. The investigation was performed using Low Energy Electron Diffraction, X‐ray Photoelectron Diffraction and X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy giving information about long range order, local structure and chemical composition.