Abstract
We demonstrate the preparation of a clean Ge(001) surface with minimal roughness (RMS ∼ 0.6 Å), low defect densities(∼0.2% ML) and widemono-atomic terraces (∼80–100 nm). We use an ex situ wet chemical process combined with an in situ anneal treatmentfollowed by a homoepitaxial buffer layer grown by molecular beam epitaxy and asubsequent final thermal anneal. Using scanning tunneling microscopy, we investigate theeffect on the surface morphology of using different chemical reagents, concentrations as wellas substrate temperature during growth. Such a high quality Ge(001) surfaceenables the formation of defect-free H-terminated Ge surfaces for subsequentpatterning of atomic-scale devices by scanning tunneling lithography. We have achievedatomic-scale dangling bond wire structures 1.6 nm wide and 40 nm long as well aslarge, micron-size patterns with clear contrast of lithography in STM images.
Published Version
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