Epitaxial (3 x 3)R 30 ErSi1.7 films were grown onto Si(111) by means of solid-phase epitaxy and were examined  in situ  by using ultra-high vacuum scanning tunnelling microscopy. Atomic resolution was obtained, and the ErSi1.7 (00•1) surfaces were found to exhibit a high degree of structural order. Together with previous photo-emission data, an analysis of high-resolution scanning tunnelling microscopic images showed that the surface atomic arrangement consisted basically of a buckled Si layer without vacancies. An additional corrugation which reflected the 3 superstructure of the bulk was superposed on the p(1 x 1) structure.

T.P.Roge, F.Palmino, C.Savall, J.C.Labrune, P.Wetzel, C.Pirri, G.Gewinner: Physical Review B, 1995, 51[16], 10998-1001