Abstract
In this letter we describe a method for producing large areas of Si(001) surfaces which are (i) free of atomic steps and (ii) arranged in regular patterns on the wafer. The first step is the fabrication of a two-dimensional grating structure using e-beam lithography and reactive ion etching. This grating is then annealed within the appropriate temperature window in ultrahigh vacuum to produce the desired array of (001) step-free regions. We illustrate the success of the method through the use of low-energy electron microscopy for a few repeat spacings on test structures each extending over a 3×3 mm2 area. Alternative processing steps are discussed as well as application to submicron device technology.
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