NaCl islands on Ag(111) are investigated by low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. The thermodynamically stable growth mode consists of bilayer-high rectangular-shaped islands that are (100) terminated with a large band gap. Deviations from this bulk-like (100) growth are induced by surface defects as intrinsic step edges and point defects in the supporting Ag( 111) surface. The interface between NaCl(100) and Ag( 111) induces an interface state that is completely depopulated with its onset at (92 ± 4) meV. The influence of the Ag surface-induced defects on the interface state is discussed.

The submonolayer growth of NaCl bilayer high-rectangular shaped islands on Ag(111) is investigated at around room temperature by using low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. The growth at the step edges is preferred. Two kinds of islands are observed. They either grow with their non-polar edge at the step edge of Ag(111) or the islands overgrow in a carpet-like mode with the polar direction parallel to the edge. In the latter case, the Ag step is rearranged and considerable, while the NaCl layer is bent. This study clarifies the nature of the interaction of an alkali halide nanostructure with a metal step edge.

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The motion of D2O monomers is investigated on a NaCl(100) bilayer on Ag(111) between 42.3 and 52.3 K by scanning tunneling microscopy. The diffusion distance histogram reveals a squared diffusion lattice that agrees with the primitive unit cell of the (100) surface. From the Arrhenius dependence, we derive the diffusion energy, the pre-exponential factor, and the attempt frequency. The mechanism of the motion is identified by comparison of the experimental results to theoretical calculations. Via low temperature adsorption site determination in connection with density functional theory, we reveal an influence of the metallic support onto the intermediate state of the diffusive motion.