Step Structure and Surface Morphology of Hydrogen-Terminated Silicon: (001) to (114); Journal article

摘要

We have determined the equilibrium step structures and surface morphology for the whole range of monohydride-terminated (0 0 1) -terrace-plus- step silicon surfaces using scanning tunneling microscopy. The transformation in the equilibrium Si surface morphology caused by H-termination can be categorized into three different regimes delineated by the types of steps present on the clean surfaces. On nominal Si(0 0 1),the single-layer height B- type steps (SB) are mostly non-rebonded and rougher after H passivation. On surfaces dominated by double-layer height B-type steps (DB),such as Si(1 1 1 1), the non-rebonded DB and SB steps show a lower formation energy. Measurements on post-annealed surfaces indicate that the DB step formation energies strongly depend on H chemical potential. Smoother morphologies are observed following H- termination of surfaces oriented approximately between (1 1 7) and (1 1 4). This effect is quite apparent on Si (1 1 5),where the monohydride surface exhibits large (1 1 5)-(2 2) domains,a structure not observed on the clean surface. All of these structural modifications result directly from a change in the relative energies of the possible single- and double-layer step configurations.