Abstract

For the past few decades the Si(111)-(√3×√3) Au surface (denoted hereafter as √3-Au) has received considerable attention in the literature as one of the prototypical Si(111)-(√3×√3) Metal systems. The √3 -Au system appears for gold coverages from roughly 0.5 ML to 1.0 ML after annealing of the substrate over 280°C. Several authors have noted the small surface domains of this structure and several possible diffraction spot features associated with different coverages and annealing temperatures. The two dominant models which have been proposed for this surface are the missing top layer twisted trimer (MTLTT) and the conjugate honeycomb chained trimer (CHCT) models.The √3-Au surface was prepared on bulk Si(111) TEM samples thinned by mechanical polishing and HNO3/HF solution chemical etching. Under UHV conditions the samples were cleaned by cycles of Ar+ ion milling and electron beam annealing until well defined Si(111)-(7×7) diffraction patterns were visible. On these surfaces roughly 0.7 ML of gold was evaporated followed by light electron beam annealing to produce the √3-Au surface. Through exposure electron diffraction patterns from three different sample locations and crystal tilts were collected and the negatives quantified using a cross correlation analysis technique.

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