Chlorine insertion and manipulation on the Si(100)-2x1-Cl surface in the regime of local supersaturation

TL;DR

This study demonstrates precise manipulation of chlorine atoms on a Si(100)-2x1 surface using STM, revealing different diffusion mechanisms and charge states, advancing atomic-scale surface modification techniques.

Contribution

We experimentally show controlled insertion and conversion of chlorine atoms on Si(100) surfaces, elucidating diffusion mechanisms and charge states at the atomic level.

Findings

Successful atomic manipulation of Cl on Si surface.

Identification of hopping and crowdion diffusion mechanisms.

Charge state dependence on doping and voltage polarity.

Abstract

We insert and manipulate a single chlorine atom in chlorine monolayer on a Si(100)-2x1 surface using a scanning tunneling microscope. Two objects were created - a Cl atom in a groove between two dimer rows, and bridge-bonded Cl on a silicon dimer. Changing the voltage polarity leads to conversion of the objects into each other. Anisotropic movement of the objects at 77 K is mediated by two different diffusion mechanisms: hopping and crowdion-like motion. Insertion of a Cl atom in a groove between two dimer rows leads to the formation of a dangling bond on a third-layer Si atom. At positive sample voltage bias, the first object is positively charged, while the second object can be neutral or negatively charged depending on silicon sample doping.