P.V. Melnik

Adsorption of bismuth on Si(001) studied by AES, REELS and mass spectrometry

The morphology of bismuth layers on Si(001) has been investigated by electron spectroscopy methods (AES, EELS) and thermodesorption mass-spectrometry. Island formation on the first Bi continuous monolayer occurs during bismuth deposition at room temperature. The thermodesorption of this system at a temperature of ∼ 500°C leads to the formation of at least one stable adsorbed Bi phase with a coverage of ∼ 0.6-0.7 ML. Bi O 4,5 -line REELS of the Bi/Si(001) system has demonstrated the covalent character of the Bi-Si bond

Extended fine structure in elastically scattered electron spectra : nature and application to structure analysis

Abstract Extended fine structure (EFS) has been observed in elastically scattered electron (ESE) spectra. EFS has been observed in the energy range up to 2000 eV, its effect being not related to the thresholds of excitation of inner atomic levels. It has been shown that the EFS at electron energies above 100–200 eV can be discribed in the terms of a kinematic model of diffraction. Evidence of this is the dependence of the Fourier-spectra maxima on scattering angle. The interatomic distances determined from analysis of the EFS in terms of the kinematic model are in good agreement with literature data for all materials studied. The EFS in the low-energy region of the EFS-spectra is due, in our opinion, to multiple electron scattering effects. These multiple scattering effects reveal themselves as additional maxima in the Fourier-spectra of the ESE EFS.

Scanning tunneling microscopy images of the atoms in the corner holes on the Si(111)-(7×7) surface with bismuth-covered tips

Abstract The use of special tips in scanning tunneling microscopy experiments for studying the Si(111)-(7×7) surface is considered. The special tips are created by bismuth deposition on tungsten tips. Images of the atoms in the corner holes are obtained for the first time and the unartificial nature of the images has been checked by the adsorption of a low amount of atomic hydrogen on the Si(111)-(7×7) surface.

Interaction of O2 with the BiSi(001) system: from passivation to promoted oxidation

Abstract Bismuth-covered Si(001) surface has been investigated by means of electron energy loss and Auger electron spectroscopy. The submonolayer coverage of Bi on Si(001) was found to reduce an initial sticking coefficient of molecular oxygen by two orders of magnitude in comparison with the clean Si(001) surface, whereas Bi-promoted formation of SiO 2 -like species was found at oxygen exposures > 10 5 L.

STM investigation of the initial adsorption stage of Bi on Si(1 0 0)-(2×1) and Ge(1 0 0)-(2×1) surfaces

Scanning tunneling microscopy has been used to investigate the initial adsorption stage of Bi on Si(1 0 0) and Ge(1 0 0) surfaces at room temperature. The most favorable position for a Bi ad-dimer on both surfaces is the B-configuration (Bi ad-dimer positioned on-top of the substrate rows with its dimer bond aligned along the substrate dimer row direction). For Si(1 0 0) the A-type dimers (dimer bond aligned perpendicular to the substrate dimer row direction) occasionally rotate back and forth to a B-configuration. The diffusion rates of B-type and A-type dimers along the substrate row and the B–A, A–B rotations on Si(1 0 0) are extracted from an analysis of many sequences of STM images. Finally, it is shown that the presence of an attractive interaction between Bi ad-dimers (irrespective of their orientation) positioned on neighboring substrate dimer rows leads to the formation of local regions with a 2×2 reconstruction.

The concerted movements of weakly bonded Bi dimers on the Si(1 0 0)2×1 surface

Abstract It is found that Bi dimers in B positions (with axis perpendicular to Si dimer row) can make concerted movements in the same row. The estimated probability of such concerted movements of B dimers is at least by three orders of magnitude higher than unconcerted one. The evidence of weak interaction between dimers in the same row was found under detailed analysis of STM-images of neighboring Bi dimers. The interaction becomes visible in high-resolution STM-images as breaking of symmetry of neighboring Bi dimers with respect to symmetric free Bi dimer.

Coadsorption of hydrogen and bismuth on the Si(111)7×7 surface

Abstract Coadsorption of bismuth and hydrogen on the Si(111)7×7 surface is investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). Hydrogenation of the Si(111)7×7 surface is shown to change the mechanism of bismuth film growth from Stranski–Krastanov to Volmer–Weber mode. Sizes of bismuth islands and the electronic structure of the interface are found to depend on the hydrogenation degree of the silicon surface and an adsorption sequence of hydrogen and bismuth.

Extended fine structure in elastically scattered electron spectra: application to a study of Bi on an a-Si surface

Abstract A new surface structure sensitive technique was used to study bismuth adsorption on an a-Si surface. The technique is based on the extended (oscillating) fine structure in the energy dependence of the elastic peak intensity. It was found that the mean interatomic distance at theBi/Si interface increased with Bi coverage. It is noteworthy that, in the submonolayer region, the mean interatomic distance increases linearly with Bi coverage. We thus propose to treat the Bi/Si interface as a “quasi-2D-solid solution”.