Residual strain around a step edge of artificial Al/Si(111)-7X7 nanocluster

摘要

During artificial Al/Si(111)-7X7 nanocluster fabrication by using surface-mediated clustering, original step with an atomically straight edge becomes curved and irregular because of stronger attractive interaction between Al atoms and Si atoms. Surface residual strain around step edges has been studied by using digital geometric phase technique. The results show that the residual strain is compressive and there is larger compressive stress near both of the up and down step edges.