Scanning tunnelling microscopy study of initial growth of titanium silicide on Si 111/

The initial growth of titanium silicide on Si 111.-7=7 surface has been investigated using scanning tunnelling microscopy in ultrahigh vacuum. At room temperature Ti atoms preferentially adsorb on the faulted sites of 7=7 surface. The deposition of Ti and subsequent annealing at 6008C lead to the formation of islandlike structures and striplike structures. At 7008C annealing, only striplike structures are observed. The striplike structures grow parallel tow101x,w011xandw110x directions, which is the side of 7=7 unit cell. It is suggested that striplike structure is the crystalline titanium silicide. Annealing at 8008C and 9008C leads to the agglomeration of titanium silicide. q1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.