The palladium (Pd) layer growth on well-ordered gamma-Al2O3 (111) layer has been studied by means of reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Epitaxial Al2O3 layer of the thickness 7-8 Angstrom was prepared by the oxidation of single-crystalline NiAl (110) surface performed at 1070 K and 1200 L of O-2 under pO(2) = 6.6 X 10(-6) Pa. The stepwise Pd deposition has been performed at a substrate temperature of 300 K. Depending on the amount of deposited Pd, two different growth modes were detected. The formation of polycrystalline phase has been found at low Pd coverage, whereas the appearance of preferentially oriented Pd islands has been detected at Pd coverage 0.5 ML. Two populations of Pd islands having (111) epitaxial plane parallel to (111) Al2O3 surface were found. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.