Reconstruction on Si(100) surfaces

Abstract

We have observed several reconstructions on a Si(100) surface with different annealing procedures. The observed reconstructed phases are the coexistence of the (2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2) phase and the (2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}8) phase after high-temperature (\ensuremath{\gtrsim}950 K) annealing followed by quenching, and the half-order streak with the presence of the (2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1) phase after low-temperature (\ensuremath{\lesssim}950 K) annealing. The phase transition from the metastable (2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2) and (2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}8) phases to the stable half-order streak is reversible upon annealing temperature and cooling rate. The distribution of kinks and missing dimer defects is expected to be the main cause of these reconstructions.