AES and STM investigations of room temperature Mn deposition onto Si(111) at different deposition rates

Studying of consecutive room temperature (RT) Mn deposition onto Si(1 1 1) surface was carried out by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) methods. We investigated that the growth of manganese atoms on the Si(1 1 1) surface depended on deposition rate, or rather on kinetic energy of adsorbed Mn atoms on the surface. Manganese atoms grow as clusters from small triangular clusters located in the area of central adatoms of the 7 x 7 half unit cells to large clusters roughly marking the location of the 7 x 7 unit cells. Distribution and form of those clusters are more ordered and uniform at 2.4 ML/min deposition than at 1.3 ML/min deposition. However, at 1.3 ML/min deposition some part of Mn atoms possibly react with silicon atoms to form manganese silicide. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.