Wood, T.J., Bonet, C., Noakes, T.C.Q. et al. (2 more authors) (2006) Medium-energy ion scattering investigation of the surface and subsurface structure of three-dimensional HoSi2x grown on Si(111). Physical Review B, 73 (23). pp. 235405-1. ISSN 1550-235X
Abstract
The surface structure of the three-dimensional (3D) holmium silicide grown on Si(111) has been determined using medium-energy ion scattering. Using this technique, it has been possible for the first time to elucidate the structure of the surface bilayer, free from complications due to lower layer atoms. It has been established that this surface generally displays sixfold symmetry which has been attributed to a mixture of reversed and nonreversed buckled bilayers (B-type and A-type respectively). A threefold surface has also been observed which is due to the preferential growth of an A-type buckled bilayer. It is proposed that the underlying vacancy network is the cause of the mixed phase on the surface. Both phases show consistent lattice spacings with the surface Si bilayer in the A/B mixed phase sitting 1.97 +/- 0.01 A above the first Ho layer, with a vertical buckling separation of 0.79 +/- 0.04 A. Such terminations are present on top of the established layered structure of the 3D silicide, with a Ho-Ho vertical spacing of 4.01 +/- 0.02 A, which is compressed relative to the bulk value due to the relief of strain at the interface.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Physics (York) |
Depositing User: | York RAE Import |
Date Deposited: | 10 Feb 2009 11:08 |
Last Modified: | 10 Feb 2009 11:08 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.73.235405 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | The American Physical Society. |
Identification Number: | 10.1103/PhysRevB.73.235405 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:7648 |