Abstract
We have investigated the molecular beam epitaxial growth of metallic thin films on top of Si(1 1 1) substrates misoriented 4° towards [1 1 2 ̄ ] on which we activate the step bunching mechanism using a thermal treatment. It results in a surface where atomically flat (1 1 1) terraces (200–600 Å wide) alternate with facets where up to 30 steps are bunched. The interplay between the starting surface topography and the structural properties of the metallic layers is analysed in detail. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations in cross section clearly reveal the coexistence of two epitaxial relationships, which results in a self organised in-plane bicrystalline modulation of the metallic structure. We have analysed the kinetics of formation of the specific epitaxial relationship on top of the step bunches. We show that it can be unambiguously related to the number of steps bunched. Then we discuss the origin of this bicrystalline modulation through a detailed study of the Cu/Si interface formation.
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