CAICISS studies of atomic-hydrogen-induced structural changes of the Sb terminated Si surfaces

Abstract

We have studied structural changes of the Sb terminated Si surfaces caused by atomic hydrogen (H) adsorption using coaxial impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy (CAICISS) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). CAICISS is a very useful technique for monitoring the structural changes of the sample surfaces as well as for investigation of thin film growth on the solid surface in real time. In these studies, we found that the H adsorption on the Si(100)-(2×1)-Sb surface induced partial desorption of Sb atoms from the Si(100) surface even at room temperature, and that the remaining Sb atoms formed not three-dimensional crystalline clusters but an almost two-dimensional layer with a dispersive distribution of Sb atoms. On the other hand, it is found that the Si(111)−( 3 × 3 )− Sb surface was almost intact against the H adsorption. These results are entirely different from these for other metal adsorbates/Si systems reported previously, which form small clusters of metal atoms by atomic H adsorption.