Surface atomic structure of epitaxially grown erbium silicide films on Si(111)7{times}7

Journal Article · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1997 · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.55.5136· OSTI ID:467372

Martin-Gago, J A ^[1]; Gomez-Rodriguez, J M ^[2]; Veuillen, J Y ^[3]

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1. Instituto Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid--CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain)
2. Departamento de Fisica de la Materia Condensada, C-III, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, 28049--Madrid (Spain)
3. L.E.P.E.S.--C.N.R.S., Associated with Universite J. Fourier, Boite Postale 166, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France)

The surface atomic structure of erbium silicide films epitaxially grown on Si(111)7{times}7 by deposition {ital in situ} has been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and synchrotron radiation core-level photoelectron spectroscopy. For a film thickness of less than 1 ML, a silicide with a p(1{times}1) low-energy electron-diffraction pattern is formed. Atomic resolution images reveal that this structure consists of a buckled Si double layer with atomic positions of the surface atoms very close to the ideal 1{times}1 Si(111) surface. Thicker silicide films exhibit a ({radical}(3){times}{radical}(3))R(30{degree}) superstructure usually attributed to an ordered network of Si vacancies. Atomic resolution STM images show that the surface termination for the bulk silicide also consists of a double-height Si layer where the superstructure is due to a small displacement of the upper Si atoms toward either T4 or H3 sites. As shown by core-level photoemission spectroscopy of the Si 2p peak as a function of the emission angle, the silicide does not show significant charge transfer within the surface layer. STM images directly exclude the presence of vacancies on the topmost Si layer. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}

• OSTI ID: 467372
• Journal Information: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter, Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 55; ISSN 0163-1829; ISSN PRBMDO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRON TRANSFER
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
EPITAXY
ERBIUM SILICIDES
PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
SURFACES
THIN FILMS
VACANCIES
surface structure