The vicinal Si(1 1 1) surface, inclined towards the ½ 1 1 2 direction, was investigated by scanning tunnelling microscopy and spot profile analysing low energy electron diffraction. It has been established that the surface, consisting of regularly spaced triple steps and (1 1 1) terraces with a width equal to that of a single unit cell of the Si(1 1 1)-7 · 7 surface structure, has the (7 7 10) orientation. An atomic model of the triple step is proposed.
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