Periodic nanostripe arrays were observed on In/Si(113) surface using scanning tunnelling microscopy. The stripe superstructures were identified as being N x 1 reconstructions elongated in [¯2¯11] or [¯1¯21] directions and consisting of one vacancy line, one Si adatom row, and N-2 In rows, in which N = 5 was predominant. The vacancy line formation relieves the strain induced by the Si adatom row and In rows, and played an important role in stabilizing the stripe structures. The stability of nanostripe structures was demonstrated by analyzing the strain-mediated interaction of vacancy lines in the framework of the Frenkel–Kontorova model, which indicated that the predominant vacancy line period of N = 5 corresponds to the minimum Frenkel–Kontorova energy.

Strain-Driven Formation of Nanostripes on In/Si(113) Surface. M.J.Xu, X.M.Dou: Chinese Physics Letters, 2010, 27[8], 086802