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Ultrathin Al layers on Si(111) and Si(100): structures and phase transitions
Author(s) -
Gröger R. M.,
Barczewski M. R.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.1027
Subject(s) - monolayer , electron diffraction , reflection high energy electron diffraction , phase (matter) , diffraction , silicon , phase diagram , crystallography , context (archaeology) , phase transition , low energy electron diffraction , chemistry , atmospheric temperature range , materials science , condensed matter physics , nanotechnology , optics , physics , thermodynamics , optoelectronics , paleontology , organic chemistry , biology
The metal/silicon system Al/Si(111)‐7 × 7 was studied by our group with spot‐profile analysis low‐energy electron diffraction (SPA‐LEED), reflection high‐energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and scanning force microscopy (SFM), with emphasis on temperature‐dependent order–disorder phase transitions of the surface structures. A review of the Al/Si(111) system describes our results in context with the findings of others. An improved phase formation diagram, including earlier results, is deduced. Between the submonolayer phases and the thick films a cluster phase (the δ‐phase) was found that exists in a coverage range of 1–10 monolayers, showing intriguing temperature‐dependent effects. At coverages above 20 monolayers the behaviour changes to that of thick films. Although the Al/Si(100) system has completely different reconstructions below one monolayer, the same δ‐phase as on Si(111) appears at one monolayer, with similar thermal behaviour. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.