Single crystal growth, crystal structure and surface characterisation of the binary phase Al45Cr7

Abstract

A single crystal of the Al45Cr7 crystalline approximant has been grown using the Czochralski method. The structure of this phase has been resolved in the C2/m space group. Chromium atoms are systematically surrounded by Al atoms forming a distorted icosahedron. The icosahedra are linked either by a vertex or a triangular face or overlap along a five-fold axis. The (010) surface of this single crystal has been investigated under ultrahigh vacuum and shows a (1x1) termination at specific bulk planes. The terraces have a nanostructured appearance which is ascribed to the preservation of the CrAl12 clusters at the surface. Ab initio calculations shows the presence of a deep pseudogap at the Fermi level, due to both a Hume-Rothery effect combined with strong spd hybridization. The isoelectronic charge densities highlight the fact that the charges are mainly confined within the CrAl12 icosahedron providing support to a certain stability of the clusters which could explain the nanostructured surface morphology encountered. First results on Al thin film deposition on the (010) surface are also reported.