Self-regulated Ni cluster formation on the TiO2(1 1 0) terrace studied using scanning tunneling microscopy

We have studied the growth mode and morphology of Ni clusters on a TiO₂(1 1 0) surface with a wide terrace using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at a low coverage (less than 3 atoms nm⁻²). The Ni clusters are formed on the terrace at the low coverage of 0.2 atoms nm⁻². Their average dimensions are constant in three directions up to 1 atoms nm⁻². The Ni clusters have an oval shape with average sizes of 1.8 nm (along [0 0 1]) × 1.4 nm (along (in the [1 1 0] directions). Above the coverage of 1.0 atoms nm⁻², an increase in the cluster height occurs, retaining an almost constant lateral size. It is proposed that the interaction of the Ni cluster and the support surface regulates the Ni cluster size.     

Structural ordering of ω-ferrocenylalkanethiol monolayers on Au(1 1 1) studied by scanning tunneling microscopy

The self-assembly of ω-ferrocenylalkanethiols (FcCnSH) with different alkyl-spacer lengths on Au(1 1 1) substrates has been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Upon deposition at room temperature FcCnSH molecules tend to form multilayers, while by thermal treatment monolayer formation, a rearrangement of the molecules and the formation of ordered domains is achieved. The surface structure of the resulting full coverage self-assembled monolayers is resolved with molecular resolution by STM. The ordered monolayer structure of ω-ferrocenylpropanethiol is discussed in comparison with its bulk crystal structure, derived from single crystal X-ray analysis. Based on these results a monolayer structure of ω-ferrocenylalkanethiols with longer alkyl chains closely related to the bulk crystal structure of the shorter alkyl-spacer derivates is suggested. Our results provide detailed insight into the self-assembly of FcCnSH on gold substrates.     

Surface reconstruction of clean bcc-Fe{1 1 0}: A quasi-hexagonal top-layer with periodic height modulation

Hexagonal-pillar shaped pure Fe single crystal whiskers with six {1 1 0} side planes were obtained by means of chemical vapor deposition. Atomically resolved scanning tunneling microscopy images obtained on the {1 1 0} surface showed a quasi-hexagonal atomic array with mesoscopic-range periodic height modulation of about 1/3 of an atomic step. This height modulation was found to be a result of an interference between the quasi-hexagonal top-layer and the sub-surface bcc-Fe{1 1 0} layer. Unit vectors of the mesoscopic-range modulation turned out to be expressed as , where and are the primitive vectors of the two-dimensional atomic array in the top-layer and those in the sub-surface layer, respectively. The two-dimensional density of atoms in the top-layer is slightly higher by 0.46% than that in the sub-surface layer.     

Comparison of two models for phonon assisted tunneling field enhanced emission from defects in Ge measured by DLTS

Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) was used to measure the field enhanced emission rate from a defect introduced in n-type Ge. The defect was introduced through low energy (±80 eV) inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching using Ar. The defect, named EP_0.31, had an energy level 0.31 eV below the conduction band. Models of Pons and Makram-Ebeid (1979) [2] and Ganichev and Prettl (1997) [3], which describe emission due to phonon assisted tunneling, were fitted to the observed electric field dependence of the emission rate. The model of Pons and Makram-Ebeid fitted the measured emission rate more accurately than Ganichev and Prettl. However the model of Ganichev and Prettl has only two parameters, while the model of Pons and Makram-Ebeid has four. Both models showed a transition in the dominant emission mechanism from a weak electron–phonon coupling below 152.5 K to a strong electron–phonon coupling above 155 K. After the application of a χ² goodness of fit test, it was determined that the model of Pons and Makram-Ebeid describes the data well, while that of Ganichev and Prettl does not.     

Atomic structure of the Si(5 5 12)-2 × 1 surface

Based on the results of scanning tunneling microscopy studies of the reconstructed Si(5 5 12)-2 × 1 surface, its atomic structure has been found. It turns out that Si(5 5 12)-2 × 1 consists of four one-dimensional structures: honeycomb (H) chain, π-bonded H′ (π) chain, dimer-adatom (D/A) row, and tetramer (T) row. Its period is composed of three subunits, i.e., (i) (3 3 7) unit with a D/A row [D(3 3 7)], (ii) (3 3 7) unit with a T row [T(3 3 7)], and (iii) (2 2 5) unit with both a D/A and a T row. Two kinds of adjacent subunits, T(3 3 7)/D(3 3 7) and D(3 3 7)/(2 2 5), are divided by H chains with 2× periodicity due to buckling, while one kind of adjacent subunits, T(3 3 7)/(2 2 5), is divided by a π chain with 1× periodicity. Two chain structures, H and π chains, commute with each other depending upon the external stresses perpendicular to the chain, which is the same for two row structures, D/A and T rows. It can be concluded that the wide and planar reconstruction of Si(5 5 12)-2 × 1 is originates from the stress balance among two commutable chains and two commutable rows.     

STS investigations of temperature dependence of Au(1 1 1) surface state energy position

High temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy (HT-STS) was used to investigate the electronic structure of Au(1 1 1) at different temperatures in the energy range 0-1 eV below the Fermi level. We concentrated on the influence of temperature on the Shockley surface state (SS) appearing on noble metals surface due to a surface projected bulk bang gap in [1 1 1] direction. The influence of temperature on the projected band gap edge (BE) was also investigated. The experiment was carried out in the temperature range 294-580 K. As the result of the experiment a delicate shift of the SS and the BE in direction of the Fermi level was reported.     

Ordered arrangement of 9-aminoanthracene on Au(1 1 1) surfaces: A scanning tunneling microscopy study

We present a scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) investigation of 9-aminoanthracene (AA) on the reconstructed Au(1 1 1) surface. The bare Au(1 1 1) surface shows the herringbone reconstruction which is conserved upon deposition of the organic molecules. Most of the AA molecules are found to decorate the regions of fcc-stacking of the gold surface where a periodic linear arrangement is observed. The orientation of the long molecule axis of individual molecules is along the -directions of the Au substrate. In addition, for individual domains of the surface reconstruction, one of the three possible orientations is preferred. On substrate areas which exhibit a high step density, the steps are completely decorated by AA molecules. A detailed analysis of the STM images reveals that the molecules are located on top terrace levels. The fine structure of individual molecules on the terrace shows a clear dependence on the tunneling voltage and resembles the molecular orbitals of the free AA molecule.     

Phonon effects in tunnelling through a double quantum dot molecule

Phonon effects in tunnelling through a double quantum dot molecule are investigated by use of a recently developed technique, which is based on an exact mapping of a many-body electron-phonon interaction problem onto a multichannel one-body problem. The molecule is sandwiched between two ideal electrodes and the electron at each dot of the molecule interacts independently with Einstein phonons. Single-electron transmission rates through the molecule are computed and the nonlinear spectrum obtained shows a structure with many more satellite peaks due to the excitations of phonons. The strength of resonant peaks is found to be strongly dependent on the number of excited phonons. The effects of electron-phonon interaction on the current and shot noise, depending on the voltage bias applied at the two electrodes as well as the potential energy of the molecule, are discussed.     

RAS: An efficient probe to characterize Si(0 0 1)-(2 × 1) surfaces

A complete inspection of the capabilities of reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) in studying the adsorption of molecules or atoms on the Si(0 0 1)-(2 × 1) surface is presented. First, a direct comparison between RA spectra recorded on the clean Si(0 0 1)-(2 × 1) and the corresponding topography of the surface obtained using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) allows us to quantify the mixing of the two domains that are present on the surface. Characteristic RA spectra recorded for oxygen, hydrogen, water, ethylene, benzene are compared to try to elucidate the origin of the optical structures. Quantitative and qualitative information can be obtained with RAS on the kinetics of adsorption, by monitoring the RA signal at a given energy versus the dose of adsorbate; two examples are presented: H₂/Si(0 0 1) and C₆H₆/Si(0 0 1). Very different behaviours in the adsorption processes are observed, making of this technique a versatile tool for further investigations of kinetics.     

STM study of successive Ge growth on “V”-stripe patterned Si (0 0 1) surfaces at different growth temperatures

The self-assembly process of Ge islands on patterned Si (0 0 1) substrates is investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy. The substrate patterns consist of one-dimensional stripes with “V”-shaped geometry and sidewalls inclined by an angle of 9° to the (0 0 1) surface. Onto these stripes, Ge is deposited in a step-wise manner at different temperatures from 520 °C to 650 °C. At low temperature, the Ge first grows nearly conformally over the patterned surface but at about 3 monolayers a strong surface roughening due to reconstruction of the surface ridges as well as side wall ripple formation occurs. At 600 °C, a similar roughening takes place, but Ge accumulates within the grooves such that at a critical thickness of 4.5 monolayers, 3D islands are formed at the bottom of the grooves. This accumulation process is enhanced at 650 °C growth, so that the island formation starts about 1 monolayers earlier. At 600 and 650 °C, all islands are all aligned at the bottom of the stripes, whereas at 550 °C Ge island form preferentially on top of ridges. The experimental observations are explained by the strong temperature dependence of Ge diffusion over the patterned surface.