Reflection high-energy electron diffraction studies of Si(111) growth using silane reveal that the growing surface exhibited two equilibrium structures as a function of growth temperature: a (1 x 1)H structure for temperatures below 600C, and (7 x 7) for temperatures higher than 600C. Starting from the (1 x 1):H surface, two structural pathways were identified upon H desorption when silane flux was interrupted. In the growth range of 570 to 600C, the (1 x 1)H, the surface transformed directly to the (7 x 7) surface. At lower growth temperatures, a metastable (√3 x √3)R30° structure was observed as an intermediate step during the transformation from the (1 x 1) to the (7 x 7) surface. The formation of the (√3 x √3)R30° structure could be explained by the redistribution of excess Si adatoms present on the surface during growth.

A Metastable (√3 x √3)R30° Reconstruction of the Si(111) Surface, Induced by Silicon Adatoms. V.L.Thanh, V.Aubry-Fortuna, D.Bouchier, A.Younsi, G.Hincelin: Surface Science, 1996, 369[1-3], 85-90