It was shown that depositing Si while annealing patterned Si(001)-(2 x 1) substrates at sublimation temperatures enhanced terrace stability, permitting larger step-free areas to be produced in a given time than possible by annealing alone. This enhanced terrace stability was confirmed by using real-time low-energy electron microscopic observations, and quantitative microscopic modeling of step dynamics. The measurements could be used to estimate the lateral variation in adatom concentration across large terraces, and to estimate an adatom diffusion length of some 10 to 30µm at 1000C.

Enhanced Terrace Stability for Preparation of Step-Free Si(001)-(2 x 1) Surfaces. J.F.Nielsen, J.P.Pelz, H.Hibino, C.W.Hu, I.S.T.Tsong: Physical Review Letters, 2001, 87[13], 136103 (4pp)