Growth of C60 films on silicon surfaces

Abstract

The growth of crystalline C60 films on Si(111) and Si (100) surfaces has been studied using scanning tunneling microscopy and atomic force microscopy. It is found that the films on these two silicon substrates, which consist of both partially ordered monolayer and crystalline islands, differ in their morphologies. The results are explained in terms of the relative strength of interaction of the first monolayer of C60 molecules with the silicon substrate and the C60 islands above it. Annealing the samples to elevated temperatures causes the C60 islands to evaporate, leaving a full layer of C60 molecules capped on the substrate.