Co-induced nano-structures on Si(111) surface

TL;DR

This study investigates cobalt atom interactions with Si(111) surfaces, revealing two distinct Co-induced reconstructions and providing structural insights into early Co silicide formation using STM and LEED.

Contribution

The paper identifies and characterizes two new inequivalent Co-induced $ oot{13} imes oot{13}$ surface reconstructions on Si(111), advancing understanding of initial silicide formation stages.

Findings

Discovery of two inequivalent Co-induced surface reconstructions.

High-resolution STM images reveal structural properties of the phases.

Both phases form single-domain islands.

Abstract

The interaction of cobalt atoms with silicon (111) surface has been investigated by means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). Besides the Co silicide islands, we have successfully distinguished two inequivalent Co-induced $\sqrt{13}\times\sqrt{13}$ reconstructions on Si (111) surface. Our high-resolution STM images provide some structural properties of the two different $\sqrt{13}\times\sqrt{13}$ derived phases. Both of the two phases seem to form islands with single domain. The new findings will help us to understand the early stage of Co silicide formations.