A kinetic scanning tunneling microscopy study of iron silicide growth on Si(113)

High-temperature kinetic scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies are used to investigate the surface morphology and growth mode of iron silicide on Si(113) formed by gas-source reactive iron deposition with Fe(CO)5 as precursor. The first monolayer of silicide on Si(113) forms a (4×n) reconstruction that covers the surface completely before growth proceeds via the formation of strongly anisotropic, three-dimensional silicide islands. After the first monolayer is closed, growth is slowed down by a blocked interdiffusion with the silicon substrate and a reduced sticking probability for the precursor. Lateral spreading of the islands is achieved by a stoichiometric codeposition of iron and silicon using Fe(CO)5 and Si2H6. In this way, nearly closed layers of silicide can be grown.