Real-time observations of vacancy diffusion on Si(001)-(2×1) by scanning tunneling microscopy

Abstract
The motion of naturally occurring vacancies on Si(001)-(2×1) has been investigated in real time with scanning tunneling microscopy, using a novel method in which repeated line scans are displayed in the form of a time-versus-position pseudoimage. Individual jumps of the vacancies are resolved. Vacancy diffusion is one dimensional along the dimer row. An activation energy of 1.7±0.4 eV has been measured for the diffusion of the single dimer vacancy.