Observation of Si(111) surface topography changes during Si molecular beam epitaxial growth using microprobe reflection high-energy electron diffraction

Abstract

Si(111) surface topography changes during Si molecular beam epitaxial growth were observed by reflection electron microscope images using microprobe reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED). When RHEED intensity oscillations were observed at low substrate temperature (350 °C), it was found that the shape of atomic steps on the substrate was preserved during the growth and the surface topographies changed repeatedly with the period of the oscillations. When almost no oscillations were observed at higher substrate temperature (500 °C), the shape of the atomic steps changed during the growth. These observations provide direct evidence that RHEED intensity oscillations occur as the result of layer-by-layer two-dimensional nucleation growth.