Atomic structure of FeSi2 or CoSi2 grown on the Si(100) 2 x n surface was investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy. After annealing the Fe or Co covered Si(100) 2 x n substrate at ~800C, an ordered adatom vacancy array appeared on the nominal 1 x 1 surface of the formed FeSi2 or CoSi2 islands, which had not been observed for silicide on the Si(100)-2x1. Upon further annealing to ~1100C, the vacancies coalesced into striped domains along one of the <011> directions. These nanostructured features were a result of the Ni impurities, and could be a promising template for fabricating nanodot arrays.

Spontaneous Vacancy Array Formation on FeSi2 and CoSi2 Formed on Si(100) 2 x n Surface. J.Z.Wang, J.F.Jia, H.Liu, J.L.Li, X.Liu, Q.K.Xue: Applied Physics Letters, 2002, 80[11], 1990-2