The atomic structure of the c(4 x 2) reconstructed Si-terminated β-SiC(100) surface was determined by comparing experimental height profiles with theoretical ones calculated using the scanning tunnelling microscopy–elastic scattering quantum chemistry method. A large number of possible atomic configurations was considered. It was found that a better fit between experiments and theory was obtained if half of the Si dimers have their altitude lowered by 0.1Å. Consequently, it was concluded that the c(4 x 2) reconstruction was caused by alternative up- and down-dimers within the dimer rows; the lower dimers not being visible in the scanning tunnelling microscopic images.

Reconstruction of the Si-Terminated β-SiC(100) Surface. L.Pizzagalli, C.Joachim, A.Mayne, G.Dujardin, F.Semond, L.Douillard, P.Soukiassian: Thin Solid Films, 1998, 318[1-2], 136-9