The growth dynamics of an insulating SrF2 film surface on an Si(111) substrate was imaged by non-contact atomic force microscopy at room temperature under ultra-high vacuum. For ~0.7 monolayer of SrF2 coverage, the co-existing surfaces of the SrF2 row structure and Si(111)-(7 x 7) reconstruction were clearly observed by non-contact atomic force microscopic topography measurements; suggesting the presence of reactive Si dangling bonds at the outer-most tip apex. The tip nature was obtained from two types of topographic image. It was determined that the conformation changed from the row structure to a (1 x 1) periodicity upon further SrF2 evaporation.

Growth Dynamics of Insulating SrF2 Films on Si(111). Y.Seino, S.Yoshikawa, M.Abe, S.Morita: Journal of Physics - Condensed Matter, 2007, 19[44], 445001 (9pp)