How a Single Titaniumditelluride Layer Grows on Au(111)
In a detailed work published recently in Phys. Rev. B 113, 195426 (2026) our group resolved the atomic structure of epitaxial single-layer and multilayer TiTe2 films on Au(111), which surprisingly evolve from isolated TiTe2 units with Ti atoms embedded in the topmost gold layer. By Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM), Low-Energy Electron Diffraction Intensity Analysis (LEED-IV) and Density Functional Theory (DFT), Andreas and co-workers could determine the detailed atomic structure of sub-coverage phases and of the growing TiTe2 film which resides on a pure gold surface layer. The study uncovers Ti-induced restructuring of the Au surface, the formation of a moiré monolayer, and an unexpected lattice expansion persisting even in thicker TiTe2 films.
The work was highlighted as Editor’s suggestion .