Tb silicide nanowire growth on planar and vicinal Si(001) surfaces

Scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction were used to investigate the growth of Tb silicide nanowires on Si(001) and its dependence on Tb coverage, annealing temperature, and the vicinality of the substrate. The nanowires are observed both isolated and in bundles, and while...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Surface science 2015-11, Vol.641, p.180-190
Main Authors: Appelfeller, Stephan, Kuls, Stefan, Dähne, Mario
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bundles
Dimers
Intermetallics
Low energy electron diffraction
Nanowires
Rare earths
Reconstruction
Scanning tunneling microscopy
Self-assembly
Silicides
Silicon
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Summary:Scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction were used to investigate the growth of Tb silicide nanowires on Si(001) and its dependence on Tb coverage, annealing temperature, and the vicinality of the substrate. The nanowires are observed both isolated and in bundles, and while being narrower than 4nm, they reach lengths exceeding 500nm. Their appearance fits a hexagonal TbSi2 structure model with Si dimer rows on top of the nanowires. The growth of exclusive parallel nanowires was achieved on vicinal surfaces. On planar samples, the nanowire growth is accompanied by the formation of a 2×7 reconstruction that shows a wetting layer like behavior. In contrast, mainly building blocks of this 2×7 reconstruction are observed on vicinal samples. [Display omitted] •Tb silicide nanowires on planar and vicinal Si(001) surfaces were investigated.•They form separately and in bundles and are aligned parallel on vicinal surfaces.•Analyzing their growth in depth, their formation parameter range could be defined.•The atomic structure of the nanowires is discussed based on STM and LEED results.•A 2×7 reconstructed wetting layer is observed solely on planar samples.
ISSN:0039-6028
1879-2758
DOI:10.1016/j.susc.2015.07.001