Formation routes and structural details of the CaF1 layer on Si(111) from high-resolution noncontact atomic force microscopy data

Rahe, Philipp; Smith, Emily F.; Wollschläger, Joachim; Moriarty, Philip J.

Abstract

We investigate the CaF1/Si(111) interface using a combination of high-resolution scanning tunnelling and noncontact atomic force microscopy operated at cryogenic temperature as well as x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Submonolayer CaF1 films grown at substrate temperatures between 550 and 600 ◦C on Si(111) surfaces reveal the existence of two island types that are distinguished by their edge topology, nucleation position, measured height, and inner defect structure. Our data suggest a growth model where the two island types are the result of two reaction pathways during CaF1 interface formation. A key difference between these two pathways is identified to arise from the excess species during the growth process, which can be either fluorine or silicon. Structural details as a result of this difference are identified by means of high-resolution noncontact atomic force microscopy and add insights into the growth mode of this heteroepitaxial insulator-on-semiconductor system.

Citation

Rahe, P., Smith, E. F., Wollschläger, J., & Moriarty, P. J. (2018). Formation routes and structural details of the CaF1 layer on Si(111) from high-resolution noncontact atomic force microscopy data. Physical Review B, 97(12), https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.97.125418

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 1, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Mar 15, 2018
• Publication Date: Mar 15, 2018
• Deposit Date: Apr 9, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 9, 2018
• Journal: Physical Review B
• Print ISSN: 2469-9950
• Electronic ISSN: 2469-9969
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 97
• Issue: 12
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.97.125418
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/920447
• Publisher URL: https://journals.aps.org/prb/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevB.97.125418