The behaviour of steps and out-of-phase boundaries of 7 x 7 reconstruction on Si(111) during Si molecular beam epitaxy was reported. During step-flow growth, Si atoms were preferentially incorporated into the crystal at positions where steps were connected with OPBs on the lower terraces; resulting in sawtooth-shaped steps. This heterogeneous advancement of steps caused out-of-phase boundaries to rearrange and thereby decrease in number.

Reducing Domain Boundaries of Surface Reconstruction during Molecular Beam Epitaxy on Si(111). H.Hibino, T.Ogino: Applied Physics Letters, 1995, 67[7], 915