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

• Published in: Surface science Vol. 433; pp. 575 - 580
• Main Authors: Ryu, J.T., Kubo, O., Tani, H., Harada, T., Katayama, M., Oura, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 02.08.1999
• Subjects: Hydrogen; Indium; Metal thin film growth; Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM); Silicon; Surfactant; Metal thin film growth; Silicon; Indium; Surfactant; Hydrogen; Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM)
• ISSN: 0039-6028; 1879-2758
• DOI: 10.1016/S0039-6028(99)00033-3

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.