A strain-induced (2 x 1) reconstruction of the Si-rich CoSi2/Si(111) surface was shown to be closely related to the Si(111)-(2 x 1) reconstruction. Direct evidence for strain relaxation could be obtained by imaging buried misfit dislocations, using scanning tunnelling microscopy. The (√2 x √2)R45° reconstruction on Co-rich CoSi2/Si(100) was compared with a similar reconstruction on the Si-rich surface and a model was developed for the former. Finally, scanning tunnelling microscopy evidence was provided for a sub-surface disorder-order transition in (2 x 2) reconstructed Fe1−xSi films which were stabilized by epitaxy on Si(111).

Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy Study of Epitaxial Silicide Thin Films. H.von Känel, H.Sirringhaus, R.Stalder: Physica Scripta, 1993, T49B, 568-73