Microsc. Microanal. Microstruct. 5, 247-256 (1994)
DOI: 10.1051/mmm:0199400504-6024700

Time resolved observation of growth processes on Si-surfaces with STM

Ulrich Köhler

Institut für Experimentalphysik, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany

Abstract
Time resolved, high temperature STM has been used to study basic steps in homoepitaxial growth of silicon on Si(111) using disilane as precursor gas. Island nucleation, island growth, step flow and island coarsening after the flux has stopped can directly be imaged on an atomic scale. The shape of island during growth and in thermodynamic equilibrium can be determined. On the Si(111)-surface growth and decay processes are often found to proceed in portions of the surface reconstruction unit cells.

PACS
6837E - Scanning tunneling microscopy (including chemistry induced with STM).
6855A - Nucleation and growth: microscopic aspects.

Key words
Experimental study -- Crystal growth from vapors -- CVD -- Epitaxy -- Semiconductor materials -- Silicon -- STM -- Time resolution -- Growth mechanism -- Island structure -- Homojunctions -- Crystal nucleation -- Surfaces -- Interfaces -- Condensed matter physics -- Materials science -- Physics -- Structure of liquids -- Structure of solids -- Crystallography -- Condensed state physics -- Nonmetals


© EDP Sciences 1994