The dependence of Auger peak heights of silver and copper at the time of silver deposition on the Cu(1 1 1) face (Auger peaks kinetics) was measured in the substrate temperature range 130 K (¹(570 K. For ¹'280 K, this dependence indicates the layer-by-layer growth (two succeeding rectilinear parts were observed with a bend between them for the value of the Cu peak height expected for the full silver monolayer). For lower temperatures, this bend appears earlier and earlier indicating the beginning of the second layer formation before completion of the first layer. When the evaporation was stopped after deposition of one-half monolayer and continued after about 45 min, the copper Auger signal remained constant during the break in deposition but the slope of the Auger peak kinetics was smaller after this break than before it. The diminution of this slope was the smallest (and equal to about 20%) for 200 K(¹(280 K. These results can be understood under supposition that the layer-by-layer growth is possible when silver islands are not too large (the critical size of islands depends on the substrate temperature and on the intensity of the silver flux). For large islands, silver atoms impinging on them are unable to reach the free copper surface (because of the potential barrier at the island edge) and they form the islands of the second layer. During the break in silver deposition the structure of the population of silver islands is modified owing to the silver atom diffusion, which leads to formation of larger islands. The second layer can grow on the largest islands.