The Effect of Impurity on the Formation of the √3×√3 (R30°) Surface Phase of the Ag-Si(111) System

Abstract

Auger intensity versus coverage plots for a polished (111) Si surface deposited with Ag at 400°C were measured to determine the stoichiometry of the √3×√3 (R30°) surface phase. The critical coverage of the transition from 2D growth to 3D growth varies with the quantity of carbon existing on the surface. For a clean surface, the critical coverage is 1.0 or slightly less than 1.0, and as the quantity of carbon increases, the cirtical coverage decreases. The growth of Ag on a contaminated surface is discussed using these results.