Surface characterization of oriented silver films on Si (100) substrates using scanning tunnelling microscopy

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 323; no. 1; pp. 105 - 109
• Main Authors: Ali, A.O, Kshirsagar, R.B, Dharmadhikari, C.V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 22.06.1998; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Exact sciences and technology; Metals. Metallurgy; Oriented silver films; Physics; Scanning tunnelling microscopy; Si substrates; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; Oriented silver films; 61.16.ch; 68.60.-p; 68.55.-a; Si substrates; Scanning tunnelling microscopy; Characterization; Thin films; Silver; Crystal orientation; Transition elements; Morphology; Roughness; Surfaces; Experimental study; Ultrahigh vacuum; STM; Vacuum deposition
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/S0040-6090(97)01042-0

The morphology of silver films grown at 300°C in high vacuum have been characterized. The films consist of highly ordered (100) oriented grains exhibiting large flat terraces with array of parallel steps. The surface roughness of the individual grains was characterized by scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) in terms of height histograms and height–height correlations. The results are discussed in the context of applications of these films as templates for the investigation of complex molecules.