Vibrational properties of Na nanoclusters self-assembled on Si(1 1 1) surface

Abstract

We have investigated structural and vibrational properties of Na nanoclusters self-assembled on the Si(1 1 1)- 7 × 7 surface at room temperature mainly using high-resolution electron-energy-loss spectroscopy. We observe three characteristic loss peaks L 1, L 2, and L 3 ascribed to an interband transition, a local atomic vibration, and another interband transition from an Na nanocluster-induced state, respectively. The spectral change of L 1 with Na coverage θ suggests that the S 1 dangling bond band is gradually filled up to open a band gap with increasing θ up to 1.1 eV when all three loss peaks completely disappeared. The relatively high loss energy E l = 243 meV of L 2 with a narrow linewidth of 32 meV indicates the only Na–Si atomic vibrational mode with Na atoms occupying the tilted on-top sites above Si rest atoms. Furthermore the extremely weak loss peak L 3 visible at a coverage range unique only to the Na nanoclusters proves the presence of a Na nanoclusters-induced electronic state N 2. These observations provide explanation to most unresolved spectral behavior of earlier photoemission study and evidence for the atomic structure of the Na nanocluster.