Early stages of vanadium deposition on Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7

We investigate the low-coverage regime of vanadium deposition on the Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 surface using a combination of scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and density-functional theory (DFT) adsorption energy calculations. We theoretically identify the most stable structures in this system: (i) substitutional vanadium atoms at silicon adatom positions; (ii) interstitial vanadium atoms between silicon adatoms and rest atoms; and (iii) interstitial vanadium - silicon adatom vacancy complexes. STM images reveal two simple vanadium-related features near the Si adatom positions: bright spots at both polarities (BB) and dark spots for empty and bright spots for filled states (DB). We relate the BB spots to the interstitial structures and the DB spots to substitutional structures.     

Investigation of 1,1-dichloroethene interacting with the Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 surface studied by scanning tunneling microscopy

Adsorption of 1,1-dichloroethene (1,1-DCE) at the Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 surface has been investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy. 1,1-DCE dissociates upon adsorption by breaking one or both CCl bonds. The appearance of reacted adatoms in the 7 × 7 reconstruction is found to vary for both positive and negative sample bias voltages in the range of 0.8 V to 2.5 V. Dissociated Cl atoms bond to adatom sites and appear bright for bias voltages higher than ±1.4 V. The other dissociated species appear dark for bias voltages below ±1.85 V with a preference of 2:1 for bonding to center relative to corner adatom sites. The faulted half unit cell is preferred. It is demonstrated that rest atoms are active in the dissociation of two-thirds of the 1,1-DCE molecules.     

A scanning tunneling microscopy study of PH3 adsorption on Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 surfaces, P-segregation and thermal desorption

PH₃ adsorption on Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 was studied after various exposures between 0.3 and 60 L at room temperature by means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). PH₃-, PH₂-, H-reacted, and unreacted adatoms can be identified by analyzing empty-state STM images at different sample biases. PH_x-reacted rest-atoms can be observed in empty-state STM images if neighboring adatoms are hydrogen terminated. Most of the PH₃ adsorbs dissociatively on the surface, generating H- and PH₂-adsorbed rest-atom and adatom sites. Dangling-bonds at rest-atom sites are more reactive than adatom sites and the faulted half of the 7 × 7 unit cell is more reactive than the unfaulted half. Center adatoms are overwhelmingly preferred over corner adatoms for PH₂ adsorption. The saturation P coverage is ∼0.18 ML. Annealing of PH₃-reacted 7 × 7 surfaces at 900 K generates disordered, partially P-covered surfaces, but dosing PH₃ at 900 K forms P/Si(1 1 1)- surfaces. Si deposition at 510 K leaves disordered clusters on the surface, which cannot be reordered by annealing up to 800 K. However, annealing above 900 K recreates P/Si(1 1 1)- surfaces. Surface morphologies formed by sequential rapid thermal annealing are also presented.     

Hydrogen-induced metallization on Ge(1 1 1) c(2 × 8)

We have studied hydrogen adsorption on the Ge(1 1 1) c(2 × 8) surface using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES). We find that atomic hydrogen preferentially adsorbs on rest atom sites. The neighbouring adatoms appear higher in STM images, which clearly indicates a charge transfer from the rest atom states to the adatom states. The surface states near the Fermi-level have been followed by ARPES as function of H exposure. Initially, there is strong emission from the rest atom states but no emission at the Fermi-level which confirms the semiconducting character of the c(2 × 8) surface. With increasing H exposure a structure develops in the close vicinity of the Fermi-level. The energy position clearly indicates a metallic character of the H-adsorbed surface. Since the only change in the STM images is the increased brightness of the adatoms neighbouring a H-terminated rest atom, we identify the emission at the Fermi-level with these adatom states.     

Site selective atomic chlorine adsorption on the Si(1 1 1)7 × 7 surface

The spontaneous dissociation of trichloroethylene molecules on the Si(1 1 1)7 × 7 surface was investigated using STM. Chlorine atoms were identified by using voltage dependent imaging and by observing voltage dependent tip-induced diffusion. At low coverage, we identify one chlorine that dissociates and binds to an adatom, leaving a nearby chlorovinyl group as the other product bound to the surface. Chlorine atoms show strong site selectivity for corner adatoms and some preference for the faulted half of the unit cell. This result differs significantly from previous studies of chlorine on this surface and a site-selective mobile precursor model is used to explain this discrepancy. The observed site-selectivity is consistent with the high electronegativity value for chlorine.     

Investigation of hydrogen interaction with the Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 surface by STM with Bi/W tips

The STM technique with a special Bi/W tip was used to study the interaction of hydrogen atoms with the Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 surface. The reactivity of different room temperature (RT) adsorption sites, such as adatoms (A), rest atoms (R), and corner holes (CH) was investigated. The reactivity of CH sites was found to be ∼2 times less than that of R and A sites. At temperatures higher than RT, hydrogen atoms rearrange among A, R, and CH sites, with increased occupation of R sites (T <  300 °C). Further temperature increase leads to hydrogen desorption, where its surface diffusion plays an active role. We discuss one of the possible desorption mechanisms, with the corner holes surrounded by a high potential barrier. Hydrogen atoms have a higher probability to overcome the desorption barrier rather than diffuse either into or out of the corner hole. The desorption temperature of hydrogen from CH, R, and A sites is about the same, equal to ∼500 °C. Also it is shown that hydrogen adsorption on the CH site causes slight electric charge redistribution over neighbouring adatoms, namely, increases the occupation of electronic states on A sites in the unfaulted halves of the Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 unit cell. Based on these findings, the indirect method of investigation with conventional W tips was suggested for adsorbate interaction with CH sites.     

Low reactivity of molecular oxygen with Si(1 1 1)-c(2 × 8)

The adsorption of molecular oxygen on the c(2 × 8) reconstruction of quenched Si(1 1 1) surfaces has been studied at the atomic scale using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at room temperature (RT). It has been found that clean well reconstructed c(2 × 8) adatoms do not react with O₂ molecules but that a limited oxidation can start where adatom sites arranged in reconstructed structures are present. Comparison between O₂ adsorption on Si(1 1 1)-c(2 × 8) and Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 reconstructions coexisting on the same quenched silicon surface has been carried out in detail. For each atomic site present on the surface the variation of reacted sites with exposure has been measured. For low O₂ exposures, bright and dark oxygen induced sites appear on the Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7, while Si(1 1 1)-c(2 × 8) does not oxidized at all. At high O₂ exposures, large oxidation areas have spread on the 7 × 7 reconstruction, preferentially on the faulted halves of the unit cell, and smaller oxidation areas induced by topological defects have grown all around clean un-reacted c(2 × 8) regions.     

Si nucleation on Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7: From cluster pairs to 2D islands

Nucleation of 2D islands in Si/Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 molecular beam epitaxy is studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). A detailed analysis of the population of small amorphous clusters coexisting on the surface with epitaxial 2D islands has been performed. It is shown that small clusters tend to form pairs. The pairs serve as precursors for 2D islands as confirmed by direct STM observations of the smallest 2D islands covering two adjacent half-unit cells of the 7 × 7 reconstruction. It is proved with scaling arguments that the critical nucleus for 2D island formation consists not only of the pair itself, but also includes additional adatoms not belonging to the stable clusters.     

Mechanism of GeH4 dissociation on Si(1 1 1)-(7 × 7)

Results of an STM study of dissociative GeH₄ adsorption on Si(1 1 1)-(7 × 7) at 300 K show that GeH₄ adsorbs under scission of two Ge-H bonds according to GeH₄(g) + 4db → GeH₂(ad) + 2H(ad). GeH₂ binds to two adatom dangling bonds in a bridged configuration, while the two released hydrogen atoms saturate two additional dangling bonds. The GeH₄ sticking coefficient under these conditions is 1.2 × 10⁻⁶, one order of magnitude smaller than for SiH₄.     

An ab initio-based approach to adsorption-desorption behavior of Si adatoms on GaAs(1 1 1)A-(2 × 2) surfaces

The adsorption-desorption behavior of Si adatoms on GaAs(1 1 1)A-(2 × 2) surfaces is investigated using our ab initio-based approach, in which adsorption and desorption behavior of Si adatoms is described by comparing the calculated desorption energy obtained by total-energy electronic-structure calculations with the chemical potential estimated by quantum statistical mechanics. We find that the Si adsorption at the Ga-vacancy site on the (2 × 2) surfaces with As adatoms occurs less than 1140-1590 K while the adsorption without As adatom does less than 630-900 K. The change in adsorption temperature of Si adatoms by As adatoms is due to self-surfactant effects of As adatoms: the promotion of the Si adsorption triggered by As adatoms is found to be interpreted in terms of the band-energy stabilization. Furthermore, the stable temperature range for Si adsorbed surfaces with As adatoms agrees with the experimental results. The obtained results provide a firm theoretical framework to clarify n-type doping processes during GaAs epitaxial growth.     

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.     

Dynamics of copper atoms on Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 surfaces

This study investigated the dynamics of copper atoms adsorbed on Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 surfaces between 300 K and 623 K using a variable-temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The diffusion behavior of copper clusters containing up to ∼6 atoms into a particular half unit cell of the 7 × 7 reconstructed Si(1 1 1) surface was considered. The movements and the formation of copper clusters were tracked in detail. The activation energies and pre-exponential factors for various diffusion paths were estimated. Finally, the Cu-etching-Si process and the quasi-5 × 5 incommensurated phase of Cu/Si islands were discussed.     

STM image visualization of Si(1 1 1) 7 × 7 surface (graphic simulation and implementation)

The possibilities of graphic STM image simulation of a clean Si(1 1 1) 7 × 7 surface at atomic level are indicated. The presented procedure takes into account various types of deformation on the surface near the Fermi level in order to classify them and explain their origin. It also gives a clear hint to insert relevant physical phenomena in a suggested analysis. This goal is achieved exploiting the results of DAS (dimmer adatom stacing fault) model by means of standard mathematical programmes. A clean Si(1 1 1) 7 × 7 surface is considered as the representative example, but similar evaluation is possible for another non-metal and metal surfaces.     

Structural analysis of Si(1 1 1)-√21 × √21-(Ag, Au) surface by using reflection high-energy positron diffraction

The Au adsorption induced √21 × √21 super-lattice structure on the Si(1 1 1)-√3 × √3-Ag structure has been investigated using reflection high-energy positron diffraction. The height of the Au adatom was determined to be 0.59 Å from the underlying Ag layer from the rocking curve analysis with the dynamical diffraction theory. The adatoms were preferentially situated at the center of the large Ag triangle of the inequivalent triangle structure of the Si(1 1 1)-√3 × √3-Ag substrate. From the intensity distribution in the fractional-order Laue zone, the in-plane coordinate of the Au adatoms was obtained.     

Molecular precursor-mediated methanol dissociation on Si(1 1 1)7 × 7: ab initio study

We present an ab initio study of methanol interaction with the Si(1 1 1)7 × 7 surface using a Si(1 1 1)4 × 2 model. The study of the methanol dissociation on Si(1 1 1)4 × 2 shows that pair dissociation on adatom-restatom dangling bonds is largely favoured, in agreement with the experimental observations. The “center” type adatom is slightly more reactive than the “corner” type one, although the difference is weak. Similar behaviour is observed in both adatom types. Our results for a direct CH₃OH dissociation favouring a basic cleavage (adsorption of OH and CH₃ fragments) rather than an acidic one (adsorption of H and OCH₃ fragments), we are finally led to take a kinetic effect into consideration to reconcile theory with experiment. We show that the presence of molecular precursor states is possible. Different orientations with respect to the silicon dangling bonds of these molecular precursors are investigated. However, the corresponding energies are very close and, considering their relative energies, it is finally difficult to discriminate between acidic and basic cleavages.     

DFT study of NH3 dissociation on Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7. The role of intermolecular interactions

The adsorption of NH₃ molecule on the Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 surface modelled with a cluster has been studied using density functional theory (DFT). The results indicate the existence of a precursor state for the non-dissociative chemisorption. The active site for the molecular chemisorption is the adatom; while the NH₃ molecule adsorbs on the Si restatom via this preadsorbed state, the adsorption on the Si adatom is produced practically without an energy barrier. The ammonia adsorption on the adatom induces an electron transfer from the dangling bond of this atom to the dangling bond of the adjacent Si restatom, hindering this site for the adsorption of a second NH₃ incoming molecule. However, this second molecule links strongly by means of two H-bonds. The dissociative chemisorption process was studied considering one and two ammonia molecules. For the dissociation of a lonely NH₃ molecule an energy barrier of ∼0.3 eV was calculated, yielding NH₂ on the adatom and H on the restatom. When two molecules are adsorbed, the NH₃-NH₃ interaction yields the weakening of a N-H bond of the ammonia molecule adsorbed closer the Si surface. As a consequence, the dissociation barrier practically disappears. Thus, the presence of a second NH₃ molecule at the adatom-restatom pair of the Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 surface makes the dissociative reaction self-assisted, the total adsorption process elapsing with a negligible activation barrier (less than 0.01 eV).     

Negative differential resistance of TEMPO molecules on Si(1 1 1)

Negative differential resistance (NDR) has been observed for individual 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) molecules on Si(1 1 1) in ultra high vacuum (UHV) scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS) measurements at room temperature. NDR effects were observed exclusively at negative bias voltage using an n-type Si(1 1 1) sample. At 77 K no NDR effects were observed, but the I(V) curves were similar in shape to those recorded on bare Si(1 1 1) sites. TEMPO was observed to adsorb preferentially at corner adatom sites of the Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 structure. Although the Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 reconstruction was conserved, local defects were frequently observed in the vicinity of the TEMPO adsorbates.     

First-principles study of adsorption and diffusion on Ge/Si(0 0 1)-(2 × 8) and Ge/Si(1 0 5)-(1 × 2) surfaces

Using first-principles total-energy calculations, we have investigated the adsorption and diffusion of Si and Ge adatoms on Ge/Si(0 0 1)-(2 × 8) and Ge/Si(1 0 5)-(1 × 2) surfaces. The dimer vacancy lines on Ge/Si(0 0 1)-(2 × 8) and the alternate S_A and rebonded S_B steps on Ge/Si(1 0 5)-(1 × 2) are found to strongly influence the adatom kinetics. On Ge/Si(0 0 1)-(2 × 8) surface, the fast diffusion path is found to be along the dimer vacancy line (DVL), reversing the diffusion anisotropy on Si(0 0 1). Also, there exists a repulsion between the adatom and the DVL, which is expected to increase the adatom density and hence island nucleation rate in between the DVLs. On Ge/Si(1 0 5)-(1 × 2) surface, the overall diffusion barrier of Si(Ge) along direction is relative fast with a barrier of ∼0.83(0.61) eV, despite of the large surface undulation. This indicates that the adatoms can rapidly diffuse up and down the (1 0 5)-faceted Ge hut island. The diffusion is also almost isotropic along [0 1 0] and directions.     

First principles calculations of the adsorption and diffusion of Y on the Si(0 0 1)-c(4 × 2) surface

We have studied the adsorption and diffusion of yttrium on the Si(0 0 1)-c(4 × 2) surface in the early stages of growth. Our first principles total energy calculations are based on the density functional theory as implemented in the SIESTA code. The exchange and correlation energies are treated within the generalized gradient approximation according to the Perdew, Burke and Ernzerhof parametrization. Our results demonstrate that the most favorable adsorption site is in the trench between two silicon dimer rows, identified as valley-bridge (V). Our studies show that the diffusion of an Y adatom on Si(0 0 1)-c(4 × 2) surface presents an anisotropic behavior. We found two values for the barriers along the valley (0.54 and 1.07 eV) and one of 1.24 eV in the perpendicular direction, showing that diffusion along the valley is more probable. The analysis of the Mulliken overlap populations shows that the bonding between an Y adatom and the surface is partially covalent. Two Y atoms on the surface do not form dimers instead they are adsorbed as adatoms.     

STM study of acetylene reaction with Si(1 1 1): observation of a carbon-induced Si(1 1 1)√3×√3R30° reconstruction

The first stages of acetylene reaction with the Si(1 1 1)7 × 7 reconstructed surface kept at 600 °C are studied by recording scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images during substrate exposure at a C₂H₂ pressure of 2 × 10⁻⁴ Pa (2 × 10⁻² mbar). We observed the progressive substitution of the 7 × 7 reconstruction with a carbon induced Si(1 1 1)√3×√3R30° reconstruction characterized by an atomic distance of 0.75 ± 0.02 nm, very close to that of the silicon 7 × 7 adatoms. This means that a carbon enrichment of the silicon outermost layers occurs giving rise to the formation of a Si-C phase different from the √3×√3R30° reconstruction typical of Si terminated hexagonal SiC(0 0 0 1) surface with an atomic distance of 0.53 nm. To explain STM images, we propose a reconstruction model which involves carbon atoms in T₄ and/or S₅ sites, as occurring for B doped Si(1 1 1) surface. Step edges and areas around the silicon surface defects are the first regions involved in the reaction process, which spreads from the upper part of the step edges throughout the terraces. Step edges therefore, progressively flakes and this mechanism leads, for the highest exposures, to the formation of large inlets which makes completely irregular the straight edge typical of the Si(1 1 1)7 × 7 terraces. These observations indicate that there occurs an atomic diffusion like that driving the meandering effect. Finally, the formation of a few crystallites is shown also at the lowest acetylene exposures. This is the first STM experiment showing the possibility to have carbon incorporation in a Si(1 1 1) matrix for higher amounts than expected, at least up to 1/6 of silicon atomic layer.