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An aluminum film is deposited on the fivefold-symmetric surface of icosahedral Al-Pd-Mn quasicrystal. Its orientation with respect to the bulk structure is studied using low-energy electron diffraction. It is found that Al nanocrystals grow in the face-centered cubic structure in five different sets of domains composing the film, and that their ͓111͔ axes are aligned parallel to one of five threefold-symmetry axes of the substrate quasicrystal at 37.37°away from the surface normal.

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By using Auger electron spectroscopy and secondary-electron imaging, we show that, as a result of bombardment with 1.5-keV Ar ϩ ions, Al is preferentially sputtered and the surface structure of a decagonal Al 70 Co 15 Ni 15 quasicrystal transforms to body-centered cubic. Annealing the sample at 700 K restores the Al concentration at the surface and, thereby, the quasicrystalline structure. Real-time observations establish the orientational relationship between the quasicrystalline and cubic surface structures, which we use to propose an atomic model of their interface.

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