Ion impact desorption of binary noble metal adsorbates on the Si (1 1 1) surface

Abstract

The keV Ar + ion impact desorption technique has been applied to determine binding energies of binary noble metal adsorbates at Cu/Si (1 1 1)– 3 × 3 -Ag, Si (1 1 1)– 2 3 ×2 3 -(Au,Ag) and Si (1 1 1)– 3 × 3 -(Au,Cu) surfaces. Decay profiles of surface coverages of the binary adsorbates as a function of Ar + ion fluence were measured by means of AES and RBS techniques. It is shown that the coverages measured by AES decrease rapidly and those by RBS become constant after they decrease at low Ar + ion fluences. Cross-sections for their recoil-implantation and desorption are determined from the analysis of their decay profiles. Layered structures and locations of the binary metal adsorbates are determined qualitatively from the obtained cross-sections. To analyse them, the most probable collision process is modelled, and the potential barrier heights for recoil-implantation and desorption (binding energies) are estimated from the experimental cross-sections.