We studied the initial growth mode of Au on Ag(110) using first-principles total energy calculations. We found that a recently observed bilayer growth mode in this system is not energetically favorable and thus may not be an equilibrium process. The most favorable initial growth process up to 1 monolayer Au coverage is found to proceed via subsurface substitution, which is an interesting growth mode for a metal-on-metal system.

• Received 4 May 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.69.1672