Atomic structures of tin overlayers on the surface of Si(111) have been investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The surface reconstructions of √ 133 × 4 √ 3 and 3 √ 7 × 3 √ 7, that appear at the coverages above 1 monolayer, have been observed in real space for the first time. It is found that the former consists of three or four one-dimensional columns of zigzag chains, while the latter consists of two-dimensional honeycomb structures. The two phases coexist as small domains on the terrace with three different orientations reflecting the substrate symmetry. After desorption of the Sn, Sn atoms are observed partly replacing the Si adatom sites of 7 × 7 reconstruction. A charge transfer from the surrounding Si adatoms of 7 × 7 is suggested by the voltage dependence of the STM images.Tin belongs to the same column of the periodic table as the elemental semiconductors silicon and germanium, and it is an essential material in silicon device technology as a surfactant for the epitaxial growth of Si/Si [1, 2] and Ge/Si [3,4]. It is well known that Sn deposition in the coverage range from one-third up to one monolayer (ML) yields two coexisting surface superstructures, √ 3 × √ 3 and 2 √ 3 × 2 √ 3 [5, 6]. Their atomic and electronic structures have been extensively investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) [7][8][9][10][11][12][13], surface X-ray diffraction [14] angle-resolved ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (ARUPS), and k-resolved inverse photoelectron spectroscopy (KRIPES) [15,16]. In addition, because of its zero band gap [17], the formation of substratestabilized films of α-Sn, which is stable above the normal α-Sn to β-Sn transition temperature (13.2 • C), is desired for fabricating quantum well structures with unique electronic features [18]. However, little work has been reported on surface structures above 1 ML. Ichikawa, using reflection highenergy electron diffraction (RHEED), found three different phases,, although the real-space atomic structure of these surfaces is not clear.In this paper, we present scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) observations of Sn overlayers on Si(111), paying special attention to the superstructures that appear at above 1 ML of Sn. The atomic structures of the two phases, √ 133 × 4 √ 3 and 3 √ 7 × 3 √ 7, have been revealed in real space by STM for the first time. It is found that the first structure is onedimensional, and the second is two-dimensional. In addition, we investigate the evolution of surface structures during the desorption of Sn by annealing at elevated temperatures.
ExperimentalThe samples were cut from wafers of Si(111). The surfaces were cleaned by degassing at 600 • C overnight, followed by a repeated flashing at 1150 • C and a slow cool to room temperature. The surface prepared by this procedure showed large, and flat area of 7 × 7 reconstruction. A few monolayers of Sn were evaporated from a tungsten filament onto the substrates at room temperature. Then the substrates were annealed stepwise at elevated temperatures. The STM obs...