The growth of indium thin films on clean and hydrogen-terminated Si(100) surfaces

Abstract

Using scanning tunneling microscopy and low-energy electron diffraction techniques, we have investigated the growth of indium thin films on clean and hydrogen-terminated Si(100) surfaces at room temperature. In this study, we found the ‘ antisurfactant’ effect of atomic hydrogen on indium thin-film growth on the Si(100) surface. On a clean Si(100) surface, indium atoms form the mixed reconstruction phases of ( n×3)-In at low coverage. With increasing coverage, indium atoms start to form flat, two-dimensional islands preferentially at step edges of the substrate. In contrast, indium thin films grown on a hydrogen-terminated Si(100) surface do not form any reconstruction phase at low coverage and indium atoms form small clusters of spherical shape, indicating a modified indium growth mode mediated by the hydrogen adlayer.