Scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction were used to investigate the evolution of the stacking fault covered surface area during growth and annealing of thin Ir films on Ir(111). Key elements driving the evolution of faulted surface area with film thickness were identified.

Stacking Faults in Homoepitaxy on Ir(111) - Detection, Evolution with Film Thickness, and Associated Defect Patterns. S.Bleikamp, A.Thoma, C.Polop, T.Michely: Physical Review B, 2008, 77[24], 245424 (10pp)