Adatoms of indium on Si(111) surfaces: Application of reflection high energy electron diffraction to desorption experiments

Abstract

An attempt is made to derive thermodynamic quantities which characterize the initial stages of film growth using reflection high energy electron diffraction. Critical temperatures for the appearance of superstructures (√3 × √3, √31 × √31 and 4 × 1) are determined for Si(111) surfaces which were bombarded with constant-flux molecular beams of indium ( J = (0.05−3.5) × 10 -2 monolayers s -1). Equilibrium between adsorption and desorption was observed at temperatures above 450 °C. From the J dependence of the critical temperatures, the sojourn time of indium adatoms on Si(111) 7 × 7 is estimated to be τ 7(T) = 9 × 10 -13 exp( 238 kJ mol -1 RT )s .