Laser desorption from and reconstruction on Si(100) surfaces studied by scanning tunneling microscopy
Laser irradiated Si(100) surfaces were studied with an ultrahigh-vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) system. Our observations indicate that only the dimerized outermost atomic layer is removed if the laser fluence is below the melting threshold with a photon energy larger than the band gap. The newly exposed layer, surprisingly, did not have a dimerized atomic structure, but rather, resembled that of a bulk-terminated structure. The uncovered layer remained atomically smooth (no vacancies) even after 90% of the outermost layer was removed. A possible explanation of these observations is that atom removal occurs by a preferential breakage of the atomic bonds in defect sites. When the laser fluence was increased to levels above the melting threshold, extensive surface roughening occurs.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 198735
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9507225-1; ON: DE96005457
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) conference, Snowmass, CO (United States), 24-28 Jul 1995; Other Information: PBD: Jul 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Selective laser removal of the dimer layer from Si(100) surfaces revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy
Scanning tunneling microscopic studies of laser-induced modifications of Si(001)-(2 x 1) surface