Self-assembled supported Co nanocrystals: The adhesion energy of face-centered-cubic Co on SrTiO3(001)-(2×2).

We have investigated the structure and morphology of self-assembled cobalt nanocrystals supported on a SrTiO3(001)-(2×2) substrate using scanning tunneling microscopy. Nanocrystals with a truncated pyramid shape were imaged, allowing crystallographic identification of the cluster facets. These nanocrystals result from the epitaxial growth of fcc Co on SrTiO3(001). The dimension of the nanocrystal facets at equilibrium and an energy minimization calculation result in γadh=(3.96±0.37)J/m2 for the adhesion energy of face-centered-cubic Co/SrTiO3(001)-(2×2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]