Subnanometric Si film reactive diffusion on Ni

Abstract

The dissolution of 3–5 Si ML on Ni has been studied using in situ ultrahigh vacuum Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The AES signal shows delays and kinetic changes in the dissolution process. These observations, combined with atomistic kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, considering an fcc Ni–Si nonregular solid solution, show that the AES signal should correspond to a successive apparition of the Ni-silicides present in the Ni–Si phase diagram at low temperatures, starting with the Si-richer phase.