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Article
Surface Modification without Desorption: Recycling of Cl on Si(100)-(2×1)
Physical Review Letters (2002)
  • Koji S. Nakayama, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Elton Graugnard, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • J. H. Weaver, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Abstract
We demonstrate chlorine-induced modification of Si(100)-(2×1) under conditions where Cl is recycled rather than desorbed as SiCl2. A dimer with 2 Cl atoms, 2SiCl, converts to SiCl2+Si, allowing the bare Si atom to escape onto the terrace. At temperatures below the desorption threshold, the SiCl2 unit decays through Cl diffusion, allowing the second Si atom to escape. The result is a dimer vacancy, terrace regrowth structures, and Cl that is able to participate in another pitting event. Access to this unexpected roughening pathway is controlled by the Cl concentration and temperature. This previously overlooked process represents an important component of Si(100) surface processing.
Publication Date
March 25, 2002
Citation Information
Koji S. Nakayama, Elton Graugnard and J. H. Weaver. "Surface Modification without Desorption: Recycling of Cl on Si(100)-(2×1)" Physical Review Letters Vol. 88 Iss. 12 (2002)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/elton_graugnard/33/