Japanese Journal of Applied Physics · 1990 · 21 citations · 12 references
Natural SciencesMaterials SciencePhysicsCondensed Matter PhysicsSurface ScienceThin FilmsElectron MicroscopySemiconductor SurfacesSurface Chemistry Of SolidsSurface CrystallographySurface MicroscopySurface PhysicsIn Situ Surface AnalysisInelastic ScatteringInelastic Scattering EffectsPhase BoundariesSilicon Thin FilmsSurface Atomic StructureSurface StepsThin Film Surface Characterization
A new technique of in situ oxygen gas reaction thinning of Si films at around 750–800°C in an ultrahigh-vacuum electron microscope was developed. The technique produced films as thin as 10 to 20 nm. Such a thin film allows us to observe surface atomic steps, out-of-phase boundaries and {1/7 0}, {1/7 1/7} and {2/7 0} spots from the Si(111)7×7 surface. These spots were not observed in previous studies, having been masked by strong inelastic scattering. The technique is useful not only for detecting clear diffraction spots of kinematical intensity for surface structure analysis but also for observation of high-resolution plan-view structure images of clean and adsorbed surfaces.
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