Recent progress in low-energy electron diffraction: theory and application to semiconductor surfaces

The atomic arrangements of semiconductor surfaces, which are important for an understanding of surface properties, are determined by the dynamic low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) method. Real-time control of epitaxial growth is possible via the measurement of intensity variations of LEED spots. The size and distance distribution of islands are clarified by spot profile analysis of LEED (SPA-LEED). Direct imaging of surface processes such as phase transition and epitaxial growth is possible using low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM).