Measurement of the anisotropy ratio during current-induced step bunching

Instabilities in step structure induced by direct-current heating have been measured using STM on Si(111) surfaces with an equilibrium step separation of approximately 1500 Å. The two-dimensional structure of kinetically formed step bunches and associated “crossing arrays” of single-height steps sho...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Surface science 1995-08, Vol.336 (1), p.L746-L752
Main Authors: Williams, Ellen D., Fu, Elain, Yang, Y.-N., Kandel, D., Weeks, J.D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties
Diffusion and migration
Diffusion
interface formation
Exact sciences and technology
Models of non-equilibrium phenomena
Physics
Scanning tunneling microscopy
Semiconducting surfaces
Silicon
Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces
Stepped single-crystal surfaces
Surface structure, morphology, roughness, and topography
Surfaces and interfaces
thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
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Summary:Instabilities in step structure induced by direct-current heating have been measured using STM on Si(111) surfaces with an equilibrium step separation of approximately 1500 Å. The two-dimensional structure of kinetically formed step bunches and associated “crossing arrays” of single-height steps shows qualitatively good agreement with predictions of a generalized theory of step-flow instability. Quantitative analysis of the structures is consistent with the theory. The result provides the first experimental determination of an effective anisotropy ratio governing kinetic step bunching. The measured value of this anisotropy ratio is 0.20 ± 0.03.
ISSN:0039-6028
1879-2758
DOI:10.1016/0039-6028(95)00551-X