Real-time observation of Ti silicide epitaxial islands growth with photoelectron emission microscopy
Abstract
A photoelectron emission microscopy (PEEM) with in situ surface preparation capabilities has been developed. The PEEM allows high resolution( ~10nm) surface microscopy of the dynamics of surface processing and epitaxial growth. The Material contrast and monolayer sensitivity of PEEM arised form work-function differences at the surface. For this reason, the PEEM is suited for the direct imaging of nanoscale epitaxial silicide islands. In this study, the formation of nanoscale Ti silicide islands was observed with ultrathin deposition of a few monolayers of Ti on Si followed by in situ annealing at temperature up to 1100^circC. Initially Ti silicide islands form while longer annealing indicates some islands move and coalesce with other islands. Most of the islands formed with similiar size and relatively uniform separation. The formation process has been captured on video tape. Island formation mechanisms are discussed in terms of surface diffusion and the strain field around the islands. The images of epitaxial island growth from PEEM are compared with other microscopy techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM).
- Publication:
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APS March Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- March 1998
- Bibcode:
- 1998APS..MAR.X2105Y