Structural properties of Cu clusters on Si(1 1 1):Cu2Si magic family

Basing on the results of the scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) observations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the structural model for the Cu magic clusters formed on Si(1 1 1)7 × 7 surface has been proposed. Using STM, composition of the Cu magic clusters has been evaluated from the quantitative analysis of the Cu and Si mass transport occurring during magic cluster converting into the Si(1 1 1)‘5.5 × 5.5’-Cu reconstruction upon annealing. Evaluation yields that Cu magic cluster accommodates 20 Cu atoms with 20 Si atoms being expelled from the corresponding 7 × 7 half unit cell (HUC). In order to fit these values, it has been suggested that the Cu magic clusters resemble fragments of the Cu₂Si-silicide monolayer incorporated into the rest-atom layer of the Si(1 1 1)7 × 7 HUCs. Using DFT calculations, stability of the nineteen models has been tested of which five models appeared to have formation energies lower than that of the original Si(1 1 1)7 × 7 surface. The three of five models having the lowest formation energies have been concluded to be the most plausible ones. They resemble well the evaluated composition and their counterparts are found in the experimental STM images.     

Formation and stabilization of Fe-induced magic clusters on Si(1 1 1)-(7 × 7) template

We demonstrate the growth of Fe-induced magic clusters on Si(1 1 1)-(7 × 7) template by in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). These clusters form near a dimer row at one side of the half-unit cell (HUC); and with three different equivalent orientations. A cluster model comprising three top layer Si atoms bonded to six Fe atoms at the next layer in the 7 × 7 faulted-half template is proposed. The optimized cluster structure determined by first-principles total-energy calculation shows an inward-shifting of the three center Fe atoms. The clusters and the nearby center-adatoms of the next HUCs appear with a significantly reduced height below bias voltages 0.4 V in high resolution empty-state STM images, suggesting an energy gap opening near the Fermi level at these localized cluster and adatom sites. We explain the stabilization of the clusters on the 7 × 7 template using the gain in electronic energy as the driving force for cluster formation.     

Scanning tunneling microscope study of dynamic phenomena on clean Si(111) surfaces: Si magic clusters and their role

On Si(111) surfaces, we observed a special type of Si magic clusters with a variable-temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM). At temperatures above 400°C, these clusters migrate on Si(111)-(7×7) surfaces as a whole. They can hop within a half-cell of Si(111)-(7×7), but sometimes they hop away from their original halves, leaving the 7×7 structure intact. When this happens, the magic cluster usually reappears at a site a few hundred Å away. We characterize its structure and derive path-specific hopping parameters using Arrhenius analysis. In the long hops, interestingly, magic clusters exhibit a strong bias for moving in the direction of the heating current. Effects of the directed motion in electromigration and those in thermal migration are determined separately and quantitatively. We also observed fluctuations of step edges through detachment and attachment of magic clusters. The filling of two-dimensional (2-D) craters and the decay of 2-D islands are also found to occur preferentially at the cathode side. These observations provide important clues for understanding the atomic processes in epitaxial growth and in electromigration on Si(111) surfaces. Based on our observations, the phase transition of 7×7↔1×1 is also discussed.     

Tantalum induced butterfly-like clusters on Si (111)-7 × 7 surface: STM/STS study at low coverage

The adsorption of the small amounts of tantalum on Si (111)-7 × 7 reconstructed surface is investigated systematically using scanning tunneling microscopy and tunneling spectroscopy combined with first-principles density functional theory calculations. We find out that the moderate annealing of the Ta covered surface results in the formation of clusters of the butterfly-like shape. The clusters are sporadically distributed over the surface and their density is metal coverage dependent. Filled and empty state STM images of the clusters differ strongly suggesting the existence of covalent bonds within the cluster. Tunneling spectroscopy measurements reveal small energy gap, showing semiconductor-like behavior of the constituent atoms. The cluster model based on experimental images and theoretical calculations has been proposed and discussed. Presented results show that Ta joins the family of adsorbates, that are known to form magic clusters on Si (111)-7 × 7, but its magic cluster has the structural and electronic properties that are different from those reported before.     

Na adsorption on the Si111-(7 x 7) surface: from two-dimensional gas to nanocluster array

We have systematically investigated Na adsorption on the Si(111)-(7 x 7) surface at room temperature using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Below the critical coverage of 0.08 monolayer, we find intriguing contrast modulation instead of localized Na adsorbates, coupled with streaky noise in the STM images, which is accompanied by monotonic work function drop. Above the critical coverage, Na clusters emerge and form a self-assembled array. Combined with first-principles theoretical simulations, we conclude that the Na atoms on the (7 x 7) surface are, while strongly bound ( approximately 2.2 eV) to the surface, highly mobile in "basins" around the Si rest atoms, forming a two-dimensional gas phase at the initial coverage, and that the cluster at the higher coverage consists of six Na atoms together with three Si adatoms.     

Doping and STM tip-induced changes to single dangling bonds on Si(0 0 1)

We have studied single Si dangling bonds on the Si(0 0 1) surface using scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The Si dangling bonds are created by the chemisorption of single hydrogen atoms forming a Si-Si-H hemihydride. At room temperature, the hemihydride induces static buckling on adjacent Si-Si dimers. In the STM measurements, we observe that the orientation of the static buckling pattern can be reversed with tip-sample bias and influenced by the substrate doping. Our DFT calculations yield a correlation between the electron occupancy of the hemihydride Si dangling bond and the buckling orientation around it.     

Ge(112)-(4×1)-In表面重构的原子结构

用扫描隧道显微镜(STM)研究了亚单层In原子引起的Ge(112)-(4×1)-In表面重构.结合随偏压极性不同而显著不同的STM图象和相应的“原子图象”,为这个重构提出了一个原子结构模型,供进一步研究参考.其中,In原子的吸附位置与它在Si(112)表面的吸附位置一致,但与Al原子和Ga原子在Si(112)表面的吸附位置不同.这个吸附位置的不同主要是由In原子较长的共价键键长引起的 关键词： 表面结构 In Ge 扫描隧道显微镜(STM)     

Borderline magic clustering: the fabrication of tetravalent Pb cluster arrays on Si(111)-(7x7) surfaces

Well-ordered arrays of identical Pb clusters have been fabricated on a Si(111)-(7x7) substrate by the temperature-mediated surface clustering method. Interestingly, these clusters can easily transform into other forms when the growth temperature deviates slightly from the optimal values. In accord with experiments, first-principle total-energy calculations reveal several cluster structures centered on a mixed cluster model involving surface Pb and Si exchange. This borderline Pb/Si(111) system provides a unique, controlled way to study surface magic cluster formation and breakup dynamics.     

Real time dynamics of Si magic clusters mediating phase transformation: Si(111)-(1 × 1) to (7 × 7) reconstruction revisited

Using Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM), we show that the surface undergoes phase transformation from disordered “1 × 1” to (7 × 7) reconstruction which is mediated by the formation of Si magic clusters. Mono-disperse Si magic clusters of size ~ 13.5 ± 0.5 Å can be formed by heating the Si(111) surface to 1200 °C and quenching it to room temperature at cooling rates of at least 100 °C/min. The structure consists of 3 tetra-clusters of size ~ 4.5 ? similar to the Si magic clusters that were formed from Si adatoms deposited by Si solid source on Si(111)-(7 × 7) [1]. Using real time STM scanning to probe the surface at ~ 400 °C, we show that Si magic clusters pop up from the (1 × 1) surface and form spontaneously during the phase transformation. This is attributed to the difference in atomic density between “disordered 1 × 1” and (7 × 7) surface structures which lead to the release of excess Si atoms onto the surface as magic clusters.     

Flow pattern defects in germanium-doped Czochralski silicon crystals

The distribution and etching rate of flow pattern defects (FPDs) in germanium- doped Czochralski (GCZ) silicon (Si) wafers with light and heavy dopants—either boron (B) or phosphorus (P)—have been investigated. In the lightly doped (both B and P) Czochralski (CZ) Si crystals, the FPD densities in GCZ Si decrease with the increase of Ge concentration. In the heavily B-doped GCZ Si crystals, the FPDs are denser compared with the heavily B-doped CZ Si, whereas the reverse is true in the heavily P-doped GCZ Si and CZ Si crystals. It is also shown that the etching rates in the lightly doped CZ Si crystals can be slightly enlarged by the Ge doping. It is proposed that, in lightly doped GCZ Si, Ge doping could consume free vacancies and thus form high-density but small-sized voids, while the stress compensation induced by B and Ge atoms could increase the vacancy concentration in heavily B-doped GCZ Si, leading to sparse and large-sized voids.     

同质与异质外延掺杂CVD金刚石薄膜的结构与性能

采用化学气相沉积(CVD)技术,以高温高压(HTHP)合成的(100)金刚石和p型(100)Si为衬底制备了硫掺杂和硼-硫共掺杂金刚石薄膜,利用原子力显微镜(AFM)、扫描隧道显微镜(STM)及隧道电流谱(CITS)等手段分析同质和异质外延CVD掺杂金刚石薄膜的结构和性能.结果表明:异Si衬底上CVD金刚石的形核密度低,薄膜表面比较粗糙,粗糙度达到18.5nm;同质HTHP金刚石衬底上CVD金刚石薄膜晶粒尺寸约为10—50nm,表面平整,表面粗糙度为1.8nm.拉曼测试和电阻测量的结果显示,在HTHP金刚 关键词： 金刚石 掺杂 外延     

Agn-1Si（n=5-10）团簇结构与性质研究

采用密度泛函理论研究了Agn-1Si团簇（n = 5-10）的几何结构和物理性质。首先得到体系最低能量结构,其中Ag5Si 和 Ag7Si团簇的结构比之前研究中结构能量更低。通过分析相应结构的能隙,平均结合能,二阶能量差可以发现Si原子的加入可以加强团簇结构稳定性,使团簇更加紧凑。在团簇尺寸n = 5-10的范围里,拥有八个价电子的Ag4Si团簇在以上三个方面都显示出非常稳定的特点。通过分析Agn-1Si团簇 (n = 5-10)的差分电荷发现,电荷的转移主要发生在Si原子与其相邻的Ag原子之间, Si原子和附近的Ag原子之间产生了强烈的共价相互作用,是团簇稳定性增强的重要原因。     

Schottky barrier at the Al/Si(111) doped and double-doped interfaces: a local-density cluster study

Using the local-density approximation method we have investigated a cluster model of the Al/Si(111) interface. P atoms were placed in the fifth silicon double-atomic layer (DAL) counting from the interface. The second DAL was doped with either Ga or As. The Schottky barrier height was found to be 0.75 eV at the Al/Si(intrinsic) system and 0.73 eV at the Al/Si(P-doped) case. The additional doping of the near-interface layer by Ga increased the barrier to 0.90 eV while the As doping decreased it to 0.5 eV.     

扫描隧道显微镜分辨能力的研究：对Si(111)-(7×7)表面的观察

用超高真空扫描隧道显微镜首次同时清晰地分辨出Si(111)-(7×7) 表面每个元胞中的12个顶戴原子和6个静止原子,这6个静止原子的亮度与无层错半元胞内中心顶戴原子的亮度基本相同. 第一性原理计算图像和STM实验结果完全符合,针尖的尺度小于7时,可以完全同时分辨出Si(111)-(7×7)表面的静止原子.     

HmTiSin(m=1～2;n=2～8)团簇结构、电子性质和红外光谱的密度泛函理论研究

近些年,由于硅半导体材料在微电子工业中的潜在应用,其理论和实验研究备受人们广泛关注。尤其是过渡金属掺杂的硅团簇材料在物理化学性质方面表现了极好的稳定性。这些主要归因于过渡金属含有未填满的d轨道电子,可以填充硅团簇表面的空轨道,减少团簇表面的悬挂键,进而提高整个掺杂硅团簇的结构稳定性,同时产生各种特殊光学、磁性和超导等性质。采用密度泛函理论DFT-B3LYP方法对H_mTiSi_n(m=1～2; n=2～8)团簇的几何结构和电子性质进行了理论计算,讨论了Ti掺杂硅团簇TiSi_n(n=2～8)及其氢化团簇基态结构的变化规律、解离通道和HOMO-LUMO能隙等特征。结果表明,随着Si原子数目的增加,在TiSi_n(n=2～8)团簇中其掺杂Ti原子依次吸附在团簇的棱、面及结构内部。当在掺杂团簇表面吸附氢原子时,都优于吸附在团簇的硅原子上,而且绝大多数的氢化结构采纳了TiSi_n团簇的骨架构型。解离能和HOMO-LUMO能隙的分析结果表明在团簇表面吸附两个H原子时能够明显提高整个团簇的结构稳定性。二阶能量差分的研究发现TiSi₂和TiSi₆团簇相对其他团簇具有较高的稳定性,同时两个H₁TiSi₇和H₂TiSi₇氢化团簇的稳定性更高。此外,模拟了这些氢化团簇的红外振动特征峰,对主要特征峰进行了归属。这些研究将为过渡金属掺杂硅基团簇材料的实验制备和表征提供重要的理论参考。     

外来原子替代碳的氟化石墨烯的磁性和电子性质

采用基于自旋极化密度泛函理论的第一性原理计算,研究了在氟化石墨烯中少量C原子被M原子(M=B,N,Si,P)替代后原子片的磁性和电子性质.结果表明:不同原子掺杂后的氟化石墨烯的电子结构会发生很大的变化,并有很大的不同.掺杂B和P原子后,纳米原子片由半导体转变为金属,并且由非磁性转变为磁性;掺杂N原子后,材料则仍为半导体,但具有磁性;进一步讨论了掺杂原子浓度与磁性的关系.对于Si原子掺杂的氟化石墨烯原子片,其半导体性质不变,但禁带宽度也会发生改变.     

Local electronic structure of near oxygen dopants: a window on the high-Tc pairing mechanism

The cuprate material (Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O-2212) is believed to be doped by a combination of cation switching and excess oxygen. The interstitial oxygen dopants are of particular interest because scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) experiments have shown that they are positively correlated with the local value of the superconducting gap, and calculations suggest that the fundamental attraction between electrons is modulated locally. In this work, we use density functional theory to try to ascertain which locations in the crystal are energetically most favorable for the O dopant atoms, and how the surrounding cage of atoms deforms. Our results provide support for the identification of STM resonances at -1 with dopant interstitial O atoms, and show how the local electronic structure is modified nearby.     

Hydrogen chemisorption on Si(111)√ 3×√ 3R30∘-B passivated surface studied by thermal desorption and scanning tunneling microscopy

Atomic H chemisorption on the Si(111)√ 3×√ 3R30^°-B surface has been studied by thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The B-modified Si surface is known to be inert towards adsorbates, since the surface dangling bonds of Si adatoms are passivated by B atoms sitting in sub-surface sites. However, it was found that even on a perfectly passivated surface, H is adsorbed on the surface by destroying the original √ 3 × √ 3 structure. STM observations revealed that H exposure led to the creation of defects at surface sites, and H was subsequently adsorbed as Si-monohydride at these sites. H exposure also caused cluster island formation at the top surface. The islands are composed of hydrogenated amorphous Si atoms or B-hydrogen complexes.     

Formation and local electronic structure of Ge clusters on Si（111）-7×7 surfaces

We report the formation and local electronic structure of Ge clusters on the Si(111)-7$\times $7 surface studied by using variable temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy (VT-STM) and low-temperature scanning tunnelling spectroscopy (STS). Atom-resolved STM images reveal that the Ge atoms are prone to forming clusters with 1.0~nm in diameter for coverage up to 0.12~ML. Such Ge clusters preferentially nucleate at the centre of the faulted-half unit cells, leading to the `dark sites' of Si centre adatoms from the surrounding three unfaulted-half unit cells in filled-state images. Bias-dependent STM images show the charge transfer from the neighbouring Si adatoms to Ge clusters. Low-temperature STS of the Ge clusters reveals that there is a band gap on the Ge cluster and the large voltage threshold is about 0.9~V.     

Two-dimensional carbon incorporation into Si(001): C amount and structure of Si(001)-c(4 x 4)

The C amount and the structure of the Si(001)-c(4 x 4) surface is studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and ab initio calculations. The c(4 x 4) phase is found to contain 1/8 monolayer C (1 C atom in each primitive unit cell). From the C amount and the symmetry of high-resolution STM images, it is inferred that the C atoms substitute the fourth-layer site below the dimer row. We construct a structure model relying on ab initio energetics and STM simulations. Each C atom induces an on-site dimer vacancy and two adjacent rotated dimers on the same dimer row. The c(4 x 4) phase constitutes the subsurface Si(0.875)C(0.125) delta layer with two-dimensionally ordered C atoms.