Abstract
Scanning tunneling microscopy observations of the initial growth of Au on Ag(110) at room temperature reveal unusual features not reported in previous studies of this system; both islands (positive growth) and holes (negative growth) are observed simultaneously. These results are compared with the growth of Ag on Ag(110) for which no holes are observed. This hole formation is associated with Au adatoms penetrating the surface and moving into atomic sites in the layer below the surface. © 1995.