The electronic properties of Co nanowires on Cu(110)-p(2 × 3)N

We present the first measurements of the differential conductance of Co wires grown on top of Cu(110)-p(2 × 3)N (Cu₃N). We apply scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) in constant height and constant current mode to access the electronic density of states of the sample over a wide energy range. All measurements have been performed at 7 K. Our study reveals that the differential conductance of the Co wires is very similar to that of Cu₃N. Spectra of the differential conductance measured on the Co wires and on Cu₃N reveal that both systems exhibit the same characteristic features near + 1.8V and + 3.5 V.     

Tin-stabilized (1 × 2) and (1 × 4) reconstructions on GaAs(100) and InAs(100) studied by scanning tunneling microscopy,photoelectron spectroscopy,and ab initio calculations

Tin (Sn) induced (1 × 2) reconstructions on GaAs(100) and InAs(100) substrates have been studied by low energy electron diffraction (LEED), photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) and ab initio calculations. The comparison of measured and calculated STM images and surface core-level shifts shows that these surfaces can be well described with the energetically stable building blocks that consist of Sn–III dimers. Furthermore, a new Sn-induced (1 × 4) reconstruction was found. In this reconstruction the occupied dangling bonds are closer to each other than in the more symmetric (1 × 2) reconstruction, and it is shown that the (1 × 4) reconstruction is stabilized as the adatom size increases.     

Atomic and nanostructures of monolayer c(2 × 2)NiN on Cu(0 0 1)

Structures of monolayer nickel nitride (NiN) on Cu(0 0 1) surface are studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Formations of Ni–N chemical bonds and NiN monolayer at the surface are confirmed by XPS on the N-adsorbed Cu(0 0 1) surfaces after Ni deposition and subsequent annealing to 670 K. A c(2 × 2) structure is always observed in the LEED patterns, which is a quite contrast to the (2 × 2)p4g structure observed usually at the N-adsorbed Ni(0 0 1) surface. Atomic images by STM indicate the mixture of Ni–N and Cu–N structures at the surface. Density of the trenches on the N-saturated surface decreases and the grid pattern on partially N-covered surfaces becomes disordered with increasing the Ni coverage. These results are attributed to the decrease of the surface compressive stress at the N-adsorbed Cu surface by mixing Ni atoms.     

Metallization of the β-SiC(100) 3 × 2 surface: A DFT investigation

Using density functional theory (DFT) we report results for the electronic structure and vibrational dynamics of hydrogenated silicon carbide (001) (3 × 2) surfaces with various levels of hydrogenation. These results were obtained using density functional theory with a generalized gradient exchange correlation function. The calculations reveal that metallization can be achieved via hydrogen atoms occupying the second silicon layer. Further increase of hydrogen occupation on the second silicon layer sites results in a loss of this metallization. For the former scenario, where metallization occurs, we found a new vibrational mode at 1870 cm^? 1, which is distinct from the mode associated with hydrogen atoms on the first layer. Furthermore, we found the diffusion barrier for a hydrogen atom to move from the second to the third silicon layer to be 258 meV.     

Bond length inequalities and relaxations at the Rh(110)-c(2 × 2)-S surface structure studied by LEED crystallography

A tensor LEED analysis has been made for the Rh(110)-c(2 × 2)-S surface structure using intensity-versus-energy curves measured for twelve independent beams at normal incidence. Each S atom chemisorbs on a centre site of the Rh(110) surface. It bonds to the second layer Rh atom directly below, with a bond distance equal to about 2.27 Å, and to four neighbouring first layer Rh atoms at close to 2.47 Å. A significant feature of this structure is that the second metal layer is buckled; those Rh atoms directly below the S atoms relax down by about 0.11 Å compared with the other second layer Rh atoms. This buckling is apparently driven by the need to reduce the difference that would otherwise occur between these two types of S-Rh bond lengths. A component in the observed difference between the S-Rh distances appears to be dependent on the metallic coordination number for the Rh atoms; in this regard, a comparison is made with the structural details for O chemisorbed on reconstructed Ni(110).     

The adsorption of a substituted benzene,the ethynyl-trifluoro-toluene on Si(100)-2 × 1

The adsorption of 3-ethynyl-trifluoro-toluene (ETFT) on Si(100)-2 × 1 surface in ultra high vacuum is studied in the low coverage regime, through a joint experimental and theoretical approach. The STM images of both filled and empty states revealed few distinct adsorption configurations. On the basis of Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations the STM images were simulated and three main adsorption configurations were identified, with a predominance of di-sigma bonded species that leave the benzene ring unreacted. A discussion of the reactivity of the reconstructed silicon surface towards benzene derivatives is proposed by comparing the adsorption of ETFT close related molecules, like styrene and phenylacetylene.     

Acetylene adsorption on silicon (100)-(4 × 2) revisited

The aim of this work is to revisit the problem of acetylene adsorption on silicon (100). Extending previous theoretical work and including van der Waals forces explicitly in the simulations we remove existing ambiguities about the adsorption sites. The simulated adsorption energies and scanning tunneling microscopy contours are in good agreement with experimental data, they support the interpretation of a two-dimer feature at the surface as resulting from the adsorption of two individual molecules. It is also found that the simulated apparent heights agree with experimental values, if the actual bandgap of silicon is taken into account.     

The Rh(100)-(3 × 1)-2O structure

The O adsorption on Rh(100) has been studied using high resolution core level spectroscopy, low energy electron diffraction and scanning tunnelling microscopy. In addition to the well known (2 × 2), (2 × 2)-pg and c(8 × 2) structures at coverages of 0.25, 0.5 and 1.75 ML respectively, an intermediate (3 × 1) structure with a coverage of 2/3 ML is identified.     

Cation-anion mixed-dimer structure of Al-induced (2 × 4) reconstruction on InAs(001)

Adsorption of Al atoms on the As-stabilized InAs(001)—(2 × 4) surface induces the formation of the Al-stabilized (2 × 4) reconstruction. The Al-stabilized (2 × 4) surface has mixed In–As dimer at the outermost layer with the Al atoms being incorporated into the subsurface layers. Heating of the Al-stabilized (2 × 4) surface further promotes the diffusion of Al into deeper layers, which results in the formation of the In-rich (4 × 2) structure with the ζa structure.     

Atomic and electronic structures of Ag/Si(100)-c(6 × 2) surface: A first-principles study

Using the experimental data obtained mainly with the scanning tunneling microscopy observations, density functional theory calculations have been applied to examine an atomic structure of the Ag/Si(100)-c(6 × 2) reconstruction. A set of structural models has been proposed having a similar Si(100) substrate reconstruction which incorporates rows of top Si atom dimers and troughs in between the rows. Stability of about twenty models with various Ag coverage ranging from 1/6 to 1 ML has been tested, that allows reducing the number of plausible models to four. Two of these four models have been attributed to the “regular” intrinsic Ag/Si(100)-c(6 × 2) reconstruction, while the other two to its defect-induced modification. The latter is observed in the local areas near defects and domain boundaries and exhibits 3 × 2 periodicity. Comparing the results of calculations with the experimental STM images, it has been concluded that while the Si(100) substrate reconstruction is solid, the Ag subsystem is flexible due to the presence of the lightly bonded mobile Ag atoms.     

Surface X-ray diffraction analysis of Fe nanostructured films grown on c(2 × 2)-N/Cu(100)

We report the results of a Surface X-Ray Diffraction (SXRD) study of Fe nanostructured films deposited on c(2 × 2)-N/Cu(100) at room temperature (RT), with Fe coverage Θ_Fe = 0.5 ML and Θ_Fe = 1 ML. The c(2 × 2)-N/Cu(100) surface is an example of self-organised system, that can be used for growth of arrays of metal nano-islands and organic molecules assemblies. We chose two different values of N coverage, Θ_N = 0.3 ML and Θ_N = 0.5 ML, the second value corresponding to N saturation. We monitored the presence of surface diffraction peaks in hk scans and we performed Crystal Truncation Rods (CTR) analysis with ROD fitting programme. In the case of Θ_N = 0.5 ML, i.e. at saturation coverage, the CTR could be fitted with one surface domain with p4gm(2 × 2) symmetry. In the surface cell adopted, N atoms occupy four-fold hollow sites, with Fe (intermixed with Cu) giving rise to a “clock” reconstruction previously observed on iron nitride films obtained by co-deposition and annealing. This result is an indirect confirmation of N surface segregation on top of the Fe films, occurring during the growth at RT. When subsaturation N coverage (Θ_N = 0.3 ML) is used as a substrate for Fe deposition, the best results could be obtained with a model where two surface domains are present: the first one corresponds to a surface cell with Fe sitting in four-fold hollow sites on bare Cu areas, with possible interdiffusion in the second lattice. The second domain is assigned to growth of Fe on the N-covered square islands occurring once the bare Cu areas are fully covered. The SXRD analysis on N-covered surface domains shows that the mechanism of reconstruction and of N segregation on top layer is already active at RT for all N-coverage values.     

Reversible and irreversible reactions of three oxygen precursors on InAs(0 0 1)-(4 × 2)/c(8 × 2)

The substrate reactions of three common oxygen sources for gate oxide deposition on the group III rich InAs(0 0 1)-(4 × 2)/c(8 × 2) surface are compared: water, hydrogen peroxide (HOOH), and isopropyl alcohol (IPA). Scanning tunneling microscopy reveals that surface atom displacement occurs in all cases, but via different mechanisms for each oxygen precursor. The reactions are examined as a function of post-deposition annealing temperature. Water reaction shows displacement of surface As atoms, but it does not fully oxidize the As; the reaction is reversed by high temperature (450 °C) annealing. Exposure to IPA and subsequent low-temperature annealing (100 °C) show the preferential reaction on the row features of InAs(0 0 1)-(4 × 2)/c(8 × 2), but higher temperature anneals result in permanent surface atom displacement/etching. Etching of the substrate is observed with HOOH exposure for all annealing temperatures. While nearly all oxidation reactions on group IV semiconductors are irreversible, the group III rich surface of InAs(0 0 1) shows that oxidation displacement reactions can be reversible at low temperature, thereby providing a mechanism of self-healing during oxidation reactions.     

Growth of the Au-induced c(8 × 2) structure on vicinal Ge(001)

We have studied the formation of Ge(001) c(8 × 2)–Au surfaces on vicinal samples by scanning tunneling microscopy. The vicinal samples are tilted 1° toward [110]. The c(8 × 2)–Au surface is prepared by depositing 0.75 ± 0.05 ML of Au onto a germanium surface held at 800 K. The anisotropy introduced by the atomic steps of the vicinal surface and the preferential etching of S_B steps during Au deposition is sufficient to introduce a preferred growth direction for the c(8 × 2)–Au phase. The result is a sample on which 78% of the surface is populated by Au-induced chains oriented parallel to the step direction. These parallel Ge(001) c(8 × 2)–Au domains are separated by single or multiple height D_A steps (0.28 nm high).     

Ab initio study of Yb on the Ge(111)–(3 × 2) and Si(111)–(3 × 2) surfaces

The surface reconstruction, 3 × 2, induced by Yb adsorption on a Ge (Si)(111) surface has been studied using first principles density-functional calculation within the generalized gradient approximation. The two different possible adsorption sites have been considered: (i) H₃ (this site is directly above a fourth-layer Ge (Si) atom) and (ii) T₄ (directly above a second-layer Ge (Si) atom). We have found that the total energies corresponding to these binding sites are nearly the same, indeed for the Yb/Ge (Si)(111)–(3 × 2) structure the T₄ model is slightly energetic by about 0.01 (0.08) eV/unitcell compared with the H₃ model. In particular for the Ge sublayer, the energy difference is small, and therefore it is possible that the T₄, H₃, or T₄H₃ (half of the adatoms occupy the T₄ adsorption site and the rest of the adatoms are located at the H₃ site) binding sites can coexist with REM/Ge(111)–(3 × 2). In contrast to the proposed model, we have not determined any buckling in the Ge = Ge double bond. The electronic band structures of the surfaces and the corresponding natures of their orbitals have also been calculated. Our results for both substrates are seen to be in agreement with the recent experimental data, especially that of the Yb/Si(111)–(3 × 2) surface.     

Coverage dependence of glycine adsorption on the Ge(100) − 2 × 1 surface

A combination of infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory has been used to investigate the adsorption behavior of glycine at the Ge(100) ? 2 × 1 surface under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Comparison of experimental and simulated IR spectra indicates that at 310 K, glycine adsorbs on Ge(100) ? 2 × 1 via O–H dissociation, with some fraction of the products also forming an N dative bond to a neighboring germanium atom. O–Ge dative bonding is not observed. As coverage increases, the surface concentration of the monodentate O–H dissociated adduct increases, while that of the N dative-bonded species appears constant. XPS data support and clarify the IR findings and reveal new insights, including the presence at higher coverage of a minor product that has undergone dual O–H and N–H dissociation. These findings are supported by the calculated energy diagrams, which indicate that the reaction of a glycine molecule on the Ge(100) ? 2 × 1 surface via O–H dissociation and interdimer N dative bonding is both kinetically and thermodynamically favorable and that N–H dissociation of this adduct is feasible at room temperature given incomplete thermal accommodation along the reaction pathway.