Initial-Stage Structural Change of Si(100) Surface Induced by Exposure to Ethylene Gas and Annealing

Abstract

The initial stage of the structural change in a clean Si(100)-2 × 1 surface induced by annealing at 640• C and exposure to ethylene gas was studied by reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The RHEED pattern included SiC spots and STM images revealed SiC particles on the surface, which confirmed the carbonization of the Si surface. At a different area of the same sample, the RHEED pattern showed both twice the periodicity of surface spots which indicates a flat surface region and transmitted bulk Si spots which indicates the initial stage of voids. The STM images of the flat region showed a 2 × n (6 ≤ n ≤ 12) reconstruction. The topography of the 2 × n STM image depended on the bias voltage. The 2 × n reconstruction was clearly induced by carbon impurities; STM images were similar to those in previous studies in which structures were formed by various kinds of impurities or contaminations.