Step and Domain Boundary Effect of Surface Reconstruction to Si(111)-√ 3×√3-Ag

Abstract

The influence of step and domain boundary on growth of Si(111)-√ 3×√3-Ag has been studied in situ using optical surface second-harmonic generation and low energy electron diffraction. The second harmonic intensity shows a difference of about 50% for Si(111) surfaces with different miscut angles and domain boundary densities, although no significant difference has been observed in low energy electron diffraction patterns, indicating a significant impediment to the growth of Si(111)-√ 3×√3-Ag by step and domain boundaries. Simulation results reveal a 90% coverage of Si(111)-√ 3×√3-Ag on the vicinal substrate with an miscut angle of 0.41o, consistent with the dynamics of Ag atoms on Si(111)-7×7 surface. The influence of two dimentional adatom gas on surface structure has also been discussed.